
IN THE ROCKIES WITH 

KIT CARSON 


THE BUCKSKIN BOOKS 
JOHN T. MC INTYRE 



Class P Z 3 
Book 

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 








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it’s an INDIAN,’’ SPOKE THE TRAPPER 


IN THE ROCKIES 


WITH 

KIT CARSON 


By 

JOHN T. McIntyre 


Illustrations by 

Ralph L. Boyer and A. Edwin Kromer 



THE PENN PUBLISHING 
COMPANY PHILADELPHIA 
1913 


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COPYRIGHT 
19 13 BY 
THE PENN 
PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 



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Contents 

I. The Trapper of Taos and Santa 7 

II. Around the Camp-Fire ... 24 

III. The Trappers Take the Trail . 39 

IV. Indian Signs — and Indians 1 . -53 

V. White Man Versus Red on the 

Colorado ..... 67 

VI. Two Nights of Danger ... 77 

VII. How THE Trappers Retaliated . '91 

VIII. Kit Reaches Santa Fe Once More 102 

IX. In the Country of the Hostiles . 124 

X. A Desperate Experience With 

Grizzlies . . . . *145 

XI. The Bully of the Trading Camp 156 

XII. Lopez Rides Into Camp . . ‘175 

XIII. The Village of the Blackfeet . 19 1 

XIV. The Last Battle .... 202 

XV. Sketch of Carson's Life .212 


3 



Illustrations 

PAGE 

“ It’s an Indian,” Spoke the Trapper Frontispiece 
‘‘What Is It? ” Asked the Boys , . 43 

“ So You Are Here ? ” .... 113 

“ Redskins ! ” 137 


In the Rockies With Kit Carson 




5 



In the Rockies With Kit 
Carson 


CHAPTER I 

THE TRAPPER OF TAOS AND SANTA 

Late one afternoon when the sunlight 
was slanting through the trees and waver- 
ing upon the adobe walls of the Pueblo of 
Los Angeles, when the only sounds were 
the whispering winds in the higher boughs, 
and the thrumming of a stringed instru- 
ment from the soldiers’ quarters, a tall Span- 
ish mule came clattering into the village 
with two boys astride its back. They were 
bronzed, sinewy looking youngsters ; each 
held a long barreled rifle. 

A barefooted sentry, his piece over his 
shoulder, looked up at the sudden sound ; 

7 


IN THE ROCKIES 


and as the mule was abruptly checked be- 
side him, and the two lads slipped from its 
back, he whipped his weapon about and 
with a brown thumb upon the trigger, 
cried : 

Halt I 

The elder of the two lads wiped his fore- 
head with his sleeve ; then to the other he 
said : 

Hold tight to that old chap, Joe ; we 
may have further use for him, you knowJ^ 

“ I hope not,’^ declared Joe, ruefully. 
‘‘ He^s got a back like a buck-saw, and a 
gait like a dromedary. And between the 
two he^s the worst thing I ever rode.’’ 

The elder boy saluted the sentinel. 

We are strangers,” he said, in good 
Spanish. We belong to the trading 
schooner ^ Gadfly ’ now off* the coast ; and 
we are in pursuit of a man named Lopez 
who ran away.” 

The sentry grinned. 

A deserter ? ” 


8 


WITH KIT CARSON 


“ He is. But we don’t object to that so 
much as we do the fact that he’s a thief as 
well. He robbed us, swam ashore, and the 
last seen of him he was heading toward 
this village.” 

The sentry placed the butt of his musket 
upon a stone and leaned socially upon the 
barrel. 

There are some strangers in the Pueblo 
now,” he said. But they are Americans. 
And they are not sailors, but trappers. 
They came from Taos in New Mexico,” 
wonderingly ; they crossed the desert 
where they might have died of thirst. And 
all to trap beaver.” 

** Lopez is a half-breed,” said the youth. 

And he has a scar, made by the slash of a 
knife, across his left cheek.” 

The sentry shook his head. 

I saw no such man,” said he. ** It may 
be that he went with the Hudson Bay men 
who I hear were at work on the streams 
not far from here about a week ago.” 

9 


IN THE ROCKIES 

The man we are after left the schooner 
only this morning/* said the boy. 

“ The sehor captain may have seen him/* 
spoke the soldier, helpfully. It is his 
duty to ask all strangers for their pass- 
ports.** 

“ Where is the sehor captain to be 
found? ’* asked the boy. 

The soldier shook his head, shouldered 
his piece and prepared to resume his tramp 
up and down. 

At this hour/* said he, ^Hhe captain is 
always asleep. It is his habit. Later, you 
can see him.** 

Joe Frazier, from his post at the tall 
mule*s head, laughed. 

The habit is a bad one,** said he in re- 
ply to an inquiring look from his friend. 

And I think the quicker the sehor cap- 
tain is broken of it the better. So I think, 
Dave, it*s your plain duty to do it.** 

Dave Johnson turned soberly to the sen- 
try. In careful Spanish he said : 

lO 


WITH KIT CARSON 


I am grieved to hear that your officer 
is asleep. Also I am sorry that under the 
circumstances we shall be forced to awaken 
him. Give him our compliments and say 
that two Americanos are here in a matter 
of much haste.^^ 

The sentry stared. 

Wake the sehor captain I Never I He 
would beat me ! 

Dave considered, still gravely. 

That would be awkward, he decided. 

And I wouldnT care to see it done.' So to 
save you trouble, I will awaken him 
myself.’’ 

And before the astonished soldier could 
prevent him, he strode to the door of the 
adobe dwelling and began thundering upon 
the door. A sleepy muttering was the 
answer. 

“ Take care ! ” cried the dismayed sentry, 
apparently at a loss as to how to deal with 
the situation. He has an evil temper, 
sehor I ” 


II 


IN THE ROCKIES 


As the knocking went on, the muttering 
within swelled into a roar; then the door 
was flung open and a squat, heavy-faced 
man with small, angry eyes, and a brass- 
hilted sword in his hand, appeared. He 
glared at Dave, the little eyes seeming to 
snap. 

And so,^^ said he, you will come 
knocking, will you, my brave fellow I 
Nothing will do but I must be disturbed, 
eh ? Not a wink must I get after all the 
labors of the day. Very well, senor ; we 
shall see.’^ 

He spoke quietly, but there was a menace 
in his tone which did not escape Joe Frazier. 

Careful there, Dave,^^ he called in 
English. I think he^s up to something.’^ 
The little eyes of the Mexican officer now 
went to the sentry. 

And my commands are worth nothing, 
are they, my man? I waste my breath 
telling you that I must not be disturbed, 

and you allow the first rascally Americano 
12 


WITH KIT CARSON 


who comes along to come thundering at my 
door. Very well ! It will be your turn 
later 1 

Again his glance shifted to Dave. The 
young American saluted in stiff military 
fashion. 

Pardon me, sehor,’' he said. It is my 
misfortune that I had to break in upon 

your slumbers. The fact is ” 

But the man stopped him sharply. 

Enough I said he. “ Who are you 
“ We belong to the schooner ‘ Gadfly.’ ” 

What are you doing here ? ” 

Dave related in a few words the same 
story he had told the sentry. The officer 
listened, all the time prodding the sun- 
baked earth before the door with the point 
of his sword ; there was a scowl upon his 
heavy face, and the small angry eyes looked 
red and threatening. 

** A pretty story,” said he. Your pass- 
ports 1 ” 

They are on board the schooner. In 

13 


IN THE ROCKIES 

our hurry to pursue Lopez we forgot 
them/^ 

The captain showed his teeth in what was 
meant for a smile. Unquestionably this 
fact pleased him. 

Give the sentry your arms/^ he said. 
** You are under arrest.’’ 

Dave fell back a step or two. 

** He means business,” he called over his 
shoulder to his friend in English. “ And 
once he gets our guns there’s no knowing 
what will happen.” 

** Well, we don’t give them up until we’re 
sure,” answered Joe promptly, throwing his 
weapon forward as he spoke, and covertly 
preparing for any action that might be 
forced upon them. Talk to him, old boy ; 
maybe you can bring him around.” 

The Mexican had followed Dave with 
cat-like tread ; his sword was now held at 
arm’s length, the point not more than a foot 
from the lad’s chest. 

“ Halt ! ” commanded he. And as Dave 

14 


WITH KIT CARSON 


turned his face toward him once more, the 
man went on : “ I have met with impudent 
Americanos before this. And I know the 
way to deal with them. Lay down your 
rifles!^’ 

Instead of doing so, Dave’s grip tightened 
about the stock of his weapon ; the officer 
saw this and without another word his arm 
drew back for a swinging cut. Dave threw 
up the barrel of his rifle to guard his head ; 
the barefooted sentry saw the motion and 
read in it peril for his officer, for his mus- 
ket lifted instantly, pointing at Dave. But 
Joe, in his turn, saw this, leaped forward 
and grasped the sentry’s arm ; the muzzle 
of his piece was thrown up just as it ex- 
ploded ; and the captain went staggering 
back, fear in his face. 

Guard ! Guard ! ” he shouted. “ Help I 
Would you see me murdered I Guard I ” 
From the soldiers’ quarters straggled the 
guard, as unkempt a lot as one would wish 
to see ; each grasped a musket, and each 

15 


IN THE ROCKIES 


was much excited by the shot and the sud- 
den alarm. A horde of Indians, men, 
women and children, also made their ap- 
pearance and pressed toward the scene of 
action. There was an excited hubbub of 
voices ; the musket barrels shone in the 
sun ; and the tattered soldiery eagerly fin- 
gered ^the flocks as though anxious to take 
up their duties at once. At a word from the 
excited captain they formed a slovenly line. 

Disarm those Americanos ! directed 
the officer. “ And put them under a close 
guard. We shall see if our lives are to be 
threatened by intruders in this way.^^ 

The grim mouths of the Mexican guns 
were turned upon the two lads who now 
stood with their backs to an adobe wall ; 
for a moment or two things looked very bad 
for them ; but then a new element showed 
itself which put a new face upon things. 

Through the press of Indians, who made 
no offer to take a part in the proceedings, a 
half dozen buckskin-clad men shouldered 

i6 


WITH KIT CARSON 


their way. From their coonskin caps to 
their moccasined feet they looked a hardy 
lot ; and in their faces was that resolution 
which comes in time to all those who are 
accustomed to face danger. 

Each carried a rifle in the hollow of his 
arm ; and silently they placed themselves 
between the two boys and the soldiery. 
One of them, a rather small young man 
with sandy hair and mild gray eyes, stepped 
toward the captain. 

‘‘Just a moment, senor,^^ said he, in 
Spanish. “ If you^d like to listen, weVe 
got a word or two to say for the boys, before 
your men carry the matter further.’’ 

For a moment it seemed as though the 
Mexican offlcer would order his guard to 
fire upon the intruders ; but the cool, reso- 
lute air of the men in buckskin caused him 
to alter his mind. Holding up a hand in a 
gesture which bid his men await his further 
commands, he said surlily : 

“ Well, senor, and who are you ? ” 

17 


IN THE ROCKIES 

The young spokesman of the party 
smiled. 

What ! and is it possible that you’ve 
forgotten me so soon ? ” said he. 

“ Are you the Hudson Bay man ? ” 

No.” 

A light seemed to break upon the Mexi- 
can. 

You are of Young’s band of trappers,” 
said he with a smile which held an under- 
current of cunning. To be sure. I had 
all but forgotten you.” 

The young spokesman nodded, good-hu- 
moredly. 

That you’d done so, senor, shows that 
we’ve been giving you little trouble,” said 
he. ‘'And now,” with a certain bluntness 
of manner, “ let us come to the present 
matter. As it happened, we saw the affair 
between you and these lads. As far as I 
can see they are in no way to blame. It 
was your sentry who fired the shot, 
and ” 

i8 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Wait ! interrupted the commander of 
the village. To the sentry he said : Ras- 
cal, did you fire your piece? 

My officer,” replied the man, I 

thought you were ” 

“ Enough ! ” snapped the captain. I 
will see to you later.” 

With a wave of the hand he dismissed 
the guard ; the men went straggling back 
to their quarters; the group of Indians, 
puzzled and disappointed, also melted 
away ; then the captain turned to the 
spokesman of the trappers. 

You see, senor, I am fair. I want to 
do only what is right. Please so inform 
your comrades, for I see they know little 

Spanish. And then ” here he leaned 

forward, with a cunning look in his eyes, 
and whispered the remainder of the sen- 
tence into the young trapper^s ear. 

But the latter, a frown wrinkling his 
forehead, cut him short. 

No,” said he, nothing like that.” 

19 


IN THE ROCKIES 


But consider/^ pleaded the captain ; 
“ out of good fellowship.” 

The young man paid no heed ; to his 
comrades he said : 

Now, boys, back to camp.” Then to 
Dave and Joe he added, Get your mules 
and come along. I reckon you’re not just 
what I would call safe in this village.” 

The two lads, Joe with his arm through 
the bridle rein of the tall mule, trudged 
along at their new friend’s side. 

I’m a thousand times obliged to you,” 
said Dave Johnson. There’s no telling 
what might have happened to us if you 
hadn’t come along.” 

The trapper smiled boyishly. 

“ Well,” said he, with a little drawl in 
his voice, I reckon the captain was a 
trifle anxious about you two.” Then in- 
quiringly, Know much about these 
parts?” 

No,” replied Joe Frazier. ‘‘We’re just 
from on board ship.” 


20 


WITH KIT CARSON 
The other nodded. 

I thought it was something like that/^ 
he said. If you had known the lay of 
the land, you’d not have been so ready to 
tackle the captain. He’s just the very 
person you’d ’a’ fought shy of. You see, 
the Mexican government has these pueblos, 
or Indian villages all along here, and they 
don’t like Americans to come prowling 
around and finding out things. If you 
haven’t a passport they’ll arrest you, steal 
everything you’ve got and drive you out 
of the country. Or it might even be 
worse.” 

We knew that passports were needed, 
but we left the schooner in a hurry, and 
never gave them a thought. And,” added 
Dave, they were very difiScult to get in 
the first place.” 

The trapper chuckled. 

'T don’t know much about getting 
them,” said he. “ Fact is, I never tried. 

None of Young’s men have ’em, and the 
21 


IN THE ROCKIES 


captain back there's been walking on 
thorns ever since we've been here trying 
to find a way of arresting us." Seeing the 
boys' inquiring look, he added, quietly, 
There's eighteen of us in all, and each 
one knows a trifle about shooting. So you 
see, the captain hasn't found the job an easy 
one." 

They had walked on some little distance, 
when he continued : 

“ A couple of days ago the captain hit on 
a neat little plan. You see some of our 
men," and his voice lowered a trifle so that 
the trappers in advance might not hear, 
are a kind of a rough lot, and they'll drink 
if they get the chance. The captain's plan 
is to give them liquor, and then when 
they're helpless, take away their rifles and 
hatchets and knives, and pen them up 
somewhere. Young got wind of it, and 
we're keeping our eyes skinned until we're 
ready to take the trail back to Taos." 

About a mile south of the Pueblo of Los 


22 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Angeles they came upon the trappers^ camp, 
a row of huts made of boughs, sod and bark. 
A number of buckskin-clad men lay about 
upon blankets or buffalo robes ; others were 
cooking the evening meal at the camp-fire ; 
while others again were cleaning their rifies 
or honing their broad-bladed hunting 
knives. 

There’s Young, the trader who took out 
this expedition,” said the young trapper. 
*^What are your names, boys? I’ll intro- 
duce you.” 

Mine’s Dave Johnson ; I’m from Bos- 
ton,” announced that young gentleman. 

And I’m Joe Frazier, from Charleston,” 
said the other. Then, curiously : What’s 
yours ? ” 

“My name’s Kit Carson,” the trapper 
informed them ; “ once of Kentucky, later 
of Missouri, but now of Taos and Santa F6.” 


23 


CHAPTER II 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 

The two lads were warmly greeted by 
Mr. Ewing Young, the Taos trader and 
leader of the trapper band. 

** A rather narrow squeak,” was his com- 
ment, when told of their misadventure ; 

the captain back there at the Pueblo is 
anxious to get his revenge upon an Ameri- 
cano because of the trouble he^s had with 
us, and you lads would have pleased him 
well enough.” 

Ewing Young was a very well-known 
trader and trapper. Some time before he 
had sent out a company in search of fur 
from Santa F6 toward the Colorado River 
country. On their way they were attacked 
by an Indian war party ; after a desperate 

fight against great odds, the hunters were 
24 


WITH KIT CARSON 


forced to fall back and make their way 
toward New Mexico once more. 

‘‘ But that just made me fighting mad/^ 
said the trapper chief to the boys, so I got 
together a party of forty Americans, Cana- 
dians and Frenchmen. At about the head 
of the Salt River we came on that identical 
war party which had so roughly handled 
my first company. 

Kit Carson laughed as though at some 
amusing reminiscence. 

‘‘ I never saw any parsel of humans so 
tickled as those redskins were,’^ said he. 

They had licked us once, and they figured 
they^d do it the second time even quicker 
than the first.^' 

The boys were seated upon a bearskin 
which one of the men had thrown upon the 
ground for them ; night was settling and 
the camp-fires blazed cheerily ; strips of 
venison, from the tenderest portions of 
bucks which had fallen before the rifie that 
day, were being roasted at each fire, and 

25 


IN THE ROCKIES 


the savory smell filled the air. The horses 
and mules belonging to the outfit were 
safely picketed a little distance off ; the 
adventurers laughed and chatted and per- 
formed the duties of the camp in high good 
humor. 

“ I reckon, Cap’n,’^ said one old grizzled 
fellow with a wrinkled, weather-beaten face 
and the clear eyes of a boy, that them 
thar reds hadn’t any idee how many there 
was of us. If they had they’d not been in 
such a precious hurry to come to hand 
grips.” 

^^And the captain didn’t want them to 
know,” Kit Carson informed the boys. 

He picked out a nice likely place and put 
about twenty-five men there in ambush. 
The Indians ofi* there in front noticed us 
halt to do this, and got it into their heads 
that we were kind of chicken-hearted in 
the matter. And as the rest of us started 
toward them they made a charge. We fell 

back until they were well into the trap. 

26 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Then the boys in the ambush jumped up 
and gave them one volley ; and away went 
the whole band of warriors as fast as they 
could go, and never once looked back to 
see what had happened to them/^ 

I counted fifteen braves who'll never 
draw another bow 'cept in the Happy Hunt- 
ing Grounds," said the grizzled old trapper. 

And besides that, there were the wounded. 
That's the way to hit at the varmints ; and 
it's the only way to make it safe for a white 
man to set his traps along the streams in 
this region. Teach 'em a lesson, says I ; 
and make it one that they'll not forget, 
while you're about it." 

But while the savages were defeated they 
were not altogether discomfited ; for they 
doggedly held to the trail of the trappers. 
Along the Salt to the San Francisco River, 
they had pursued them, and all the way 
along this stream to its very head waters ; 
their depredations were secret and under 

cover of darkness ; the men learned to avoid 

. 27 


IN THE ROCKIES 


the camp-fires, for at any moment a deadly 
arrow might come hissing from the dark- 
ness ; horses and mules were killed and 
maimed ; traps were stolen constantly. 

The loss of the traps crippled us,’^ said 
Kit,/‘ and at the head of the San Francisco, 
Mr. Clark split the party in two ; only what 
you see here continued on through the 
desert; the others took what pelts we^d 
trapped and turned face about for New 
Mexico.^^ 

During all the talk of the company's ad- 
ventures and through the supper which 
shortly followed. Kit Carson noticed that 
the two boys were strangely silent. Now 
and then they showed an interest in what 
was said by the trappers about them ; but 
for the most part they sat looking into the 
fire or talking in a low tone. But when 
the meal was done and the men broke up 
into small knots about the fires, the two ap- 
proached the young trapper. They talked 

for a space upon different topics, and 
28 


WITH KIT CARSON 


finally, after some little hesitation, Dave 
Johnson said : 

Being from Taos, you might know a 
half-breed Mexican named Lopez.’’ 

Kit Carson smiled. 

“ Well,” said he, seeing that half the 
Mexicans down that way are half-breeds, it 
would be a hard way to pick a man. But 
the name Lopez is not the same as Smith 
or Jones,” he added thoughtfully. What 
kind of a man is your half-breed for looks ? ” 

Rather well made, wears rings in his 
ears and has a knife Qut across his left 
cheek.” 

A gleam of surprise came into Kit Car- 
son’s face. 

‘‘ Has the man anything to do with your 
being here ? ” he asked. 

He has,” said Joe Frazier. We are in 
search of him.” 

I thought something was wrong from 
the way he acted when I saw him at noon.” 

You saw him I ” Both lads came to 
29 


IN THE ROCKIES 


their feet, their rifles in their hands. 
“ Where 

*^Sit down,” said the trapper, quietly. 
“ Don't get excited. It'll do you no good, 
for you couldn't go looking for him to- 
night, anyway.” 

And as the boys resumed their seats on 
the bearskin, he went on. 

I didn't know this breed by the name 
of Lopez. I'd seen him often at the trad- 
ing posts and the Indians called him Spot- 
ted Snake. To-day as I was riding back to 
camp here, with some small game that I'd 
been after, I met him on a badly winded 
horse. I was surprised to see him so far 
away from his usual hunting grounds. 

“ ‘ Hello, Spotted Snake,' says I to him. 
‘ What are you doing here ? ' 

At first he set out to make believe he 
didn't know me and that I must have made 
some kind of a mistake. But in a couple 
of minutes he saw that it wouldn't do, and 
climbed down to real facts. 

30 


WITH KIT CARSON 


‘ You with some trappers ? ’ says he. 

‘ Young's crowd,' says I. 

^ Does he want another man ? ' he says. 

“ Now I know that Spotted Snake is a 
good trapper, so I says to him ; 

^ Maybe.' 

^ Good,' says he. And then : ‘ Going 

away from here soon ? ' 

‘ Not for a week,' says I. 

And with that," said Kit Carson, his 
eyes on the boys, he lost all interest in 
joining us. A few hours later I saw him 
headed south with a band of Pueblos and 
Mexicans who had been making ready for a 
big hunt." 

There was a moment's silence ; then Dave 
Johnson asked : 

What sort of a country is it to the 
south ? " 

Fine country if you stick to the water- 
courses. Lots of game ; and," as an after- 
thought, “ lots of redskins." 

‘‘To-morrow," said Dave to his friend, 

31 


IN THE ROCKIES 

we'll send the mule back to the man we bor- 
rowed it from. Then we'll each buy a horse 
and some other things that we need, and 
we'll be off to the southward after Lopez." 

Kit Carson regarded the lads quizzically. 

“ It'll take a good trailer to follow that 
party with any chance of overtaking them," 
he said. “ And outside that, it's a mighty 
dangerous thing for two people to get out 
there without anything to back 'em up. 
The reds would gobble 'em quicker'n it 
takes to tell it." He studied them for a 
moment longer and then said quietly, If 
the thing's not too much of a secret, let's 
hear it. You've got a reason for wanting to 
come up with Spotted Snake; and, who 
knows — maybe if it's a good enough one — I 
might be able to help you." 

“ It seems to me," said Joe, sturdily, 
“ every person we've met to-day has to 
listen to our troubles. But I guess," com- 
ically, ** we'll have to saddle you with the 
story, too, Mr. Carson, if you're to under- 
32 


WITH KIT CARSON 

stand how we came here and what we^re 
after/^ 

It has been all of six months ago,” 
spoke Dave, “ though I've about lost track 
of the time, that we left New Orleans in the 
bark * Gloria Santos.' She traded all along 
the coast until we came to Rio Janeiro ; 
then we shifted to the English square rigger 
‘ North Star,' which carried us around the 
Horn and to Valparaiso. At that city we 
got passage on the trader ‘ Gadfly,' which 
worked along until we reached the mouth 
of the Los Angeles River.” 

You came alone on this trip ? ” asked 
the trapper. 

No,” replied Joe. 

That's what I thought,” said Kit. 
‘‘ But go on.” 

My father's been thinking of making 
the voyage for the past flve years,” said Joe. 
“ And he thought he'd wait until Dave and 
I were old enough to join him. Dave and 
I are cousins, you see.” 

33 


IN THE ROCKIES 


But we never knew what his object was 
until we reached this coast/’ said Dave. 
“ Then we found that he had a sort of map 
or plan of a particular place on a California 
river, which had been given him by an 
old seaman for whom he had done an im- 
portant service while they served under 
MacDonough on the Lakes in the last war 
with England.” 

‘‘ Plan of a place on a river, eh ? ” spoke 
Kit. Well, I’ve trapped along all these 
streams and while they’re good for beaver 
and other fur bearing critters, still I don’t 
see anything about them that would take a 
man all that way a-looking for them.” 

Dave glanced about at the groups of trap- 
pers as though to make sure that he was 
not overheard ; bending forward he whis- 
pered something in Kit Carson’s ear. 

No ! ” exclaimed the trapper, incredu- 
lously. 

Both boys nodded a vigorous affirmative. 

The old seaman who gave my uncle 
34 


WITH KIT CARSON 


the map,’’ said Dave, had visited the coun- 
try years ago. He was sure that there were 
great quantities of gold in the beds of all 
the streams. He was very old when my 
uncle met him, and that is why he didn’t 
make the venture himself. The map was 
made by him on a spot where he had seen 
the Indians washing out gold to make or- 
naments.” 

It may be so,” said Kit, slowly. They 
find it just that way, I’m told ; so why not 
in California as well as any other place? ” 

The captain of the ^ Gadfiy ’ was short 
handed when we got to a village down the 
coast, and he hired a Mexican and this 
half-breed, Lopez, to help work the 
schooner. The Mexican deserted at the 
next stop, but Lopez remained with us. 
In a little while we found why this was. 
Things began to be missed. Two nights 
ago as I came on deck I found him lying 
on his stomach looking down the open sky- 
light into my uncle’s cabin. There was a 
35 


IN THE ROCKIES 


light burning in the cabin and my uncle 
sat at a table with a small metal box before 
him, going over its contents. It was in 
this box that he kept the map and his 
other valuables. I spoke to Lopez ; he 
got up, muttered something and walked 
away. This morning the half-breed was 
missed ; a half hour later the box was also 
discovered to have disappeared. It took us 
only a moment to put the two things to- 
gether ; then Joe and I put out on board 
the mule, looking for him.^^ 

“ Your father didnT join in the hunt ? 
said Kit to Joe, and there was an inquiring 
note in his voice. 

** My father,” said Joe, isn't able to 
ride. He's a cripple ; lost his right leg by 
a cannon shot at the engagement on Lake 
Champlain.'' 

I see,'' said Kit. And if the map was 
to be recovered, it was for you two boys to 
do it.” There was a short silence; then 
the trapper spoke again. I see now why 
36 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Spotted Snake was so anxious to get away 
from this section as soon as he could/^ 
Then inquiringly, Is it your idea that 
he took the box just because of the money 
value of the things in it? ” 

He couldnT have known of the 

map ” began Joe breathlessly. But 

the trapper interrupted him. 

Don’t be too sure of that,” said he. 
‘‘ You are never sure of what a fellow like 
that knows. He goes sneaking about, peep- 
ing and listening, and often he finds out 
more than he’s given credit for.” 

Dave was about to make a reply to this, 
when suddenly there was a commotion in 
the darkness. The voice of one of the 
trappers posted to the north of the camp 
as a guard was heard calling sharply : 

‘‘ Halt ! Stand where you are I ” 
Instantly the groups about the fires 
melted ; each man seized the ever ready 
rifle and fell back out of the red glow. 
The chief of the trappers, Mr. Young, went 
37 


IN THE ROCKIES 


forward, and voices were heard in a sort of 
parley. Then the two boys saw the cap- 
tain of the Pueblo advancing, a half dozen 
of his soldiers at his back. 


38 


CHAPTER III 


THE TRAPPERS TAKE THE TRAIL 

Pardon ! ” cried the Mexican, jovially, 
as he advanced. “ I hope I do not intrude, 
gentlemen.’^ 

The chief of the trappers, who had ap- 
proached the fires with him, bid him wel- 
come. 

Sit down,^^ said Mr. Young. Glad to 
see you.^' 

The officer did so ; and his men squatted 
within the circle of light, blinking like so 
many owls and holding their muskets 
across their knees. 

Soon you will be leaving the Pueblo,^’ 
said the captain. I am sorry. Not once 
have you accepted my hospitality.’^ 

The grizzled old trapper who had spoken 
to the boys when the company’s venture 
39 


IN THE ROCKIES 


was being related, laughed at this declara- 
tion when it was translated. 

‘‘Trouble with that Greaser is that he is 
too public in his invitations,^’ grinned he. 
“ If he wants to treat us so consarned bad, 
why don’t he do it privately ? I reckon no- 
body here’d refuse.” 

There was a laugh at this ; and one of 
the Americans who spoke some Spanish 
called to the captain across the firelight : 

“ Very well, senor, if you want to be 
sociable, we’ll not discourage you.” 

The Mexican smiled in an oily fashion 
and rubbed his thick, strong hands. He 
spoke English very badly, but at once 
entered into a conversation with some of 
the men. 

Kit Carson, who, with the two boys, had 
not returned to the camp-fire at the officer’s 
approach, stood leaning upon his rifle, 
watching the strangers. 

“ Up to some of his games,” the lads 
heard him mutter. Then to them he said : 

40 


WITH KIT CARSON 


“ Move quietly and follow me ; I reckon 
ril be able to show you the reason for the 
captain’s visit.” 

Softly he stole away westward from the 
camp, the boys following in his steps ; when 
about two hundred yards distant he made a 
d6tour toward the south and after some 
little time paused. 

I think the Greasers took this way when 
they approached,” said he. 

Then slowly he stepped along in the 
direction of the distant firelight ; the night 
was a moonless one, but the stars twinkled 
in the light-colored sky and they were 
enabled to see without difficulty. Quietly 
they paced along among the trees, until at 
length the trunk of a giant cottonwood 
reared itself a little to one side. 

** Ah I ” said the trapper, I think I 
noticed that tree before.” 

They approached it ; upon the far side it 
showed a large hollow at the base. The 
long rifle barrel was poked into this and 

41 


IN THE ROCKIES 

struck something that gave out an unusual 
sound. 

I thought so/' said Kit, and with that 
he put down his gun, reached into the 
crevice and rolled out a heavy looking keg. 

^‘What is it?" asked the boys, in a 
breath. 

Liquor ! " replied the trapper. “ And 
put here by that Greaser a while ago. And 
before he leaves camp to-night he’ll see to 
it that our men know where the stuff is 
hidden." 

“But what is his object?" asked Joe, 
puzzled. 

There was a little pause ; the trapper’s 
moccasined feet prodded the keg ; then he 
said : 

“ You see, all this region is claimed by 
the Mexican government. A license is 
needed to hunt and trap hereabout. And 
they refused to grant one to an American. 
When we reached here the captain under- 
took to arrest us, but we showed fight. 

42 



“what is it?’' asked the boys 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Ever since then he^s been trying to get our 
fellows intoxicated ; once let him succeed, 
and the rest will be easy for him/^ 

He drew a heavy, short-handled hatchet 
from his belt. With one blow the head of 
the keg was stove in ; the strong liquor 
rushed out and sank into the ground. 

‘‘ And so,’’ said Kit, humorously, replac- 
ing the hatchet in his belt, there’s that to 
set against the captain’s little game. There’s 
not enough left to make even a tarantula 
feel lively.” 

They took the same way back to camp ; 
no one had missed them ; and they found 
the Mexican officer all smiles and ready to 
leave. 

“ Good-night, Sefior Young,” he was say- 
ing to the leader of the trappers, as he 
shook his hand. Good-night and pleasant 
dreams. To-morrow, in the morning, I will 
come again.” He said this with an un- 
pleasant smile which made Kit Carson 
nudge Dave Johnson meaningly. In the 
44 


WITH KIT CARSON 


morning I will come again ; and from then 
on, sehor, I hope to see much more of you/' 

Good-night," said Young. 

The Mexican hitched his sword belt into 
a more comfortable position. 

Good-night, gentlemen," said he, with 
a wave of his hand to the trappers. You 
are all brave fellows ; and like brave fellows 
the whole world over, you accept all that 
circumstances put in your hands." 

As this was put into English for them by 
the comrade who knew Spanish, the men 
laughed and exchanged mysterious nods 
and winks. 

You see," said Kit, “ he's got them 
primed to fall into his trap. And they'd 
do it as sure as shooting — if" — and he 
laughed softly — the trap was not already 
sprung." 

With a final wave of the hand, the Mex- 
ican officer strode away followed by his 
men ; and no sooner had he disappeared 
than Kit was at the side of his employer 
45 


IN THE ROCKIES 


telling of the plot. Mr. Young’s face grew 
dark with anger. 

I’d like to repay him for that,” said he. 

But,” with a gesture, what’s the use? I 
suppose, after all, it’s his way of doing his 
duty.” Then with sudden resolve, There 
will be a constant danger of that kind all 
the time we are here ; so at sunrise to- 
morrow we break camp and head for the 
Gila River.” 

As the leader turned away. Kit Carson 
turned swiftly to the boys. 

And, so there you are I ” said he. You 
have the luck with you, boys. It’s the best 
chance that could turn up. Come with us 
and you’ll be following right in the trail of 
Spotted Snake.” 

But my father,” cried Joe, as he caught 
his breath. 

“ We’ve got an Indian boy here that’s 
been hanging around camp,” said Kit. 

He’s to be trusted. Send him back with 

your mule, and also write a message to your 
46 


WITH KIT CARSON 

father. Tell him to come ashore and hire 
a couple of Pueblo Indians to carry him in 
to the Mission of San Gabriel. The priests 
will look after him ; they have good food 
and he’ll be safe.” 

But,” said Dave, couldn’t we start for 
the coast now and make arrangements with 
him in person ? It’s only a little more than 
thirty miles there and back. We could 
make camp again by sunrise.” 

This seemed to strike Kit as a good no- 
tion ; he sought out Mr. Young and put the 
case of the boys before him. The chief 
trapper nodded, slowly. 

I don’t like the idea of greenhorns,” 
said he. And then we’re out to catch fur, 
and not to trail thieving half-breeds. But 
if the thing’s important and there’s no 
other way of doing it, all right.” 

‘‘ Well,” said Kit, to the boys, as there 
isn’t any time to lose, let’s see to your 
mounts.” He led them to the place where 
the horses were picketed ; the animals lifted 
47 


IN THE ROCKIES 


their heads at the approach of the trapper ; 
some snorted and pawed the ground as 
though anxious to be off on the trail once 
more. Mr. Young pointed to a pair of fair 
sized mustangs which stood side by side. 

They ought to do/^ said he. They 
are sound, not excitable and have speed.’^ 

Couldn’t have made a better pick if 
you’d gone over the entire lot,” said Kit, 
approvingly. 

But won’t we be depriving some one of 
a mount? ” asked Joe. 

** Horses are plenty in this country ; and 
cheap, too. You can have these for the 
price we pay for the ones we buy to replace 
them.” 

This was eagerly agreed to ; there was 
little more said ; the mustangs were led out, 
bridled and saddled ; and the boys, good 
riders both, swung themselves upon their 
backs. 

By daylight,” cried Dave, as he waved 
his hand. 


48 


WITH KIT CARSON 


And if we’re a little late,” called Joe, 
his impatient mount prancing under him, 
we’ll try and pick up your trail.” 

“ Good lads,” laughed Kit Carson ; and 
then with another salute they were gone 
into the darkness. 

A strong guard of trusty men was kept 
about the trappers’ camp that night ; Mr. 
Young was an experienced frontiersman 
and so took no chances with an enemy of 
the Mexican captain’s type. No one was 
permitted to leave camp for fear that the 
keg discovered by Kit was not the only 
one ^‘planted” by the cunning official. 
At the first streak of dawn the trappers 
were astir ; breakfast was cooked, traps and 
other equipment packed upon the horses 
used for that purpose, and everything was 
ready for the start. 

Looks as though our young friends 
were going to fail us,” spoke Mr. Young. 

If they do, I’m out the price of two good 
ponies.” 


49 


IN THE ROCKIES 


They’ll not fail unless something hap- 
pened them on the way,” said Kit Carson, 
who had taken a fancy to the cousins. 
‘‘ They are a clean-looking pair, and I 
think I’d back them to do more than hold 
to a bargain.” 

The trappers, with their packhorses in 
the center of the column, moved off down 
the Indian trail ; they had gotten entirely 
out of sight of the Pueblo of Los Angeles, 
when a distant shout caught the ear of 
Kit Carson ; his sharp eye swept the hills 
which rose about them ; across a ridge to 
the north two horsemen were coming like 
the wind. 

The trapper wheeled his mustang and 
dashed back ; the newcomers were Dave 
and Joe, weary and sore from the unac- 
customed labor of the night, but both game 
and willing, for all. 

It was all right,” proclaimed Joe, de- 
lightedly. “ Dad didn’t take to the thing 
at first, but we had him talked over in 
50 


WITH KIT CARSON 


half an hour. The captain of the schooner 
knows a priest at San Gabriel ; they are 
going to get a party of the mission Indians 
with ponies and a litter as you suggested ; 
and he'll stay at the mission till we return, 
or he hears from us." 

The cavalcade reached the Mission of 
San Gabriel in the afternoon. This mis- 
sion was the most wonderful sight in the 
Californias of that period. It had farming 
land stretching for miles about, tilled by 
the thousand Indians which it maintained ; 
over its ranges wandered seventy-five thou- 
sand head of cattle, also huge herds of 
horses, mules and sheep. Mr. Young had 
no difficulty in replacing the ponies sold 
to the boys ; horse-fiesh was low as he had 
said, and, especially at San Gabriel, very 
plenty. 

Kit Carson earned the friendship of a 
young Pueblo, loafing on the steps of the 
mission building, by presenting him with 
a small trinket. 


51 


IN THE ROCKIES 

Some Mexicans and Indians went 
through here yesterday/’ said he. 

“ Trap I ” said the youthful savage, lacon- 
ically. Much hunt on Gila River.” 

'' A man was with them — much cut on 
face,” and the trapper illustrated the char- 
acter of the scar. 

The young Indian nodded. 

‘‘ Big cut ! ” agreed he. Long time 
ago.” 

Kit nodded to the boys as they turned 
and rode after their party. 

We’re right behind them ! If we have 
good luck, Lopez, or Spotted Snake, as we 
called him in Taos, will be where we can 
get our hands on him by sundown to- 
morrow.” 


52 


CHAPTER IV 


INDIAN SIGNS — AND INDIANS! 

That night the trappers camped upon 
the banks of a small stream ; their supper 
was of game shot during the day and corn- 
cakes made from the meal in one of the 
packs. 

Both boys noticed that much care was 
taken as to the picketing of the horses, 
also a guard was placed over them. The 
camp was laid out with a plain regard for 
defense as well as for comfort. 

You never can tell in the wilderness 
just what is going to happen, said Kit 
Carson, in answer to a question of Joe^s. 

The Pueblo Indians are mostly a mild 
lot, and never go upon the war-path ; and 
the other redskins are too well fed around 
the mission to make trouble. But war 
53 


IN THE ROCKIES 


parties of one nation or another are apt to 
be met with any time/^ 

The trappers placed their saddle pads on 
the ground and threw their blankets over 
them ; these, with saddles at one end for 
pillows, were their bed. The boys followed 
their example. 

'' But keep yourself out of the firelight,'’ 
warned Kit. It’s a dangerous habit to get 
into, this hanging around the camp-fire. 
And always keep your rifle where you can 
reach it the first grab. Seconds count in a 
night rush of these copper-colored varmints ; 
so always fix yourself right before you go 
to sleep.” 

The men talked and smoked their pipes 
about the fire for an hour or two after 
supper ; then, after a guard had been set, 
they, one by one, rolled themselves in their 
blankets and soon were asleep. For some 
time, however, the boys lay awake ; the 
crackling of the logs on the fires, the stamp- 
ing of the horses, and the stirring of the 
54 


WITH KIT CARSON 

breeze in the trees was new to them ; and 
then from the hills and the forests the faint 
voice of the wilderness called to them as it 
calls to every one, telling of its rushing 
rivers, its trackless wastes, its splendid 
game, its breathless dangers. And, also, 
somewhere ahead was Spotted Snake, and 
as they grew heavy eyed and slow of 
thought, they seemed to realize for the first 
time what the pursuit of him in such a 
region as this might mean ; months might 
go by without a sight of him, and many 
and nameless perils might be met by the 
way. 

At dawn on the following day the camp 
was astir ; breakfast was cooked and eaten, 
packs were adjusted and made fast; then 
the party mounted and began the day^s 
journey. It was a picturesque cavalcade ; 
each man led or rode beside a packhorse or 
mule; across his back was slung hisrifie, in 
his belt was his hunting knife, his whet- 
stone and his hatchet ; his clothing was of 
55 


IN THE ROCKIES 


soft buckskin, fringed and ornamented with 
porcupine quills, dyed in many and bril- 
liant colors. 

The country through which they passed 
was an ever changing one; streams were 
crossed; paths were forced through green 
ravines ; mountainsides were conquered ; 
thick woods were encountered everywhere. 

Toward the middle of the day the boys 
found themselves riding ahead of the trap- 
per company, with Kit Carson ; after a time 
he grew silent and seemed to be studying 
the ground as they went along. At length 
he drew in his pony and waited until Mr. 
Young came up. 

The signs say that a company of trap- 
pers went over this route not long ago,^^ he 
said to his chief. And I think it might 
be Spotted Snake and the party he engaged 
with.^^ 

Like as not,’^ replied the other, his eyes 
searching the ground. 

'' The trail leads away to the left a little 
56 


WITH KIT CARSON 


piece on/^ observed Kit. “ I think I’ll have 
a look at it with the boys. We’ll bring up 
with you in a little while.” 

Upon a nod from Mr. Young he rode 
forward, the two eager lads at his side ; 
they also studied the ground ; hoof marks 
there were to a certainty ; but what told Kit 
they had been made by a trapping party, 
they were puzzled to know. 

‘‘ It’s plain enough,” said the young man 
when Joe had put the question to him. 

Each man in the party rode a pony and 
led a pack-mule ; no other party but a trap- 
per’s is ever made up like that.” 

Off to the left they turned, following the 
trail as it led toward a distant range of 
hills. 

** It’s rather a peculiar move,” spoke Kit 
after a time ; and no direction for a com- 
pany to take which aims to trap on the 
Gila River.” 

For a full hour they rode in the track of 
the strange preceding expedition ; they had 
57 


IN THE ROCKIES 


reached a section covered by small knolls or 
hillocks, some crowned by growths of 
dwarfed trees, others bald and desolate. 
Suddenly Kit Carson reined in his pony 
and swung himself from the saddle ; without 
waiting to be told, both boys did the same. 
They quickly led their mounts behind one 
of the knolls ; and when the trapper halted, 
Dave Johnson asked : 

What is it ? 

“Tie up your mustangs,^^ was the only 
reply. 

The boys did so ; then, following the 
cautious example of the trapper, they 
scrambled up the steep sides of the hillock ; 
it was one of those upon which the dwarf 
trees grew so thickly ; they lay among these 
and looked toward the east. 

“ Take a steady look now, off toward the 
southeast,^^ said Kit, one hand pointing in 
that direction. “ Do you see a hill which 
looks something like a horse^s head — right 
against the sky ? 


58 


WITH KIT CARSON 


The thick mass of dark growth which 
topped a distant knoll was unmistakable ; 
and both lads replied in a breath. 

Yes I 

“ Well, strike a line to the left again — on 
a hill further away — a bald hill something 
higher than the others. 

Joe Frazier was the first to catch the 
object indicated. 

A horseman,” said he. 

An Indian ! ” cried Dave Johnson, an 
instant later, and with a keener vision. 

An Indian it is,” spoke the trapper, his 
eyes holding to the distant figure. 

There was something in his manner 
which caught the attention of the boys. 

“ There were Indians a-plenty back at 
San Gabriel and at the Pueblo,” said Joe, 
but you did not pay much attention to 
them.” 

Kit Carson smiled. 

No,” said he, quietly. Those redskins 
didnT call for much attention. But this is 
59 


IN THE ROCKIES 


one of a very different kind. You never 
catch his sort planting or plowing or tend- 
ing cattle ; he's a warrior, and if you were 
close enough to him I think you’d find that 
he is armed with lance, bow and arrow and 
tomahawk.” 

The savage horseman was so far away 
that he made but a tiny speck against the 
sky ; but for all that he was an ominous 
figure in that desolate land, a sort of symbol 
of the danger it held for the intruding pale- 
face and an unspoken threat of what would 
befall if he dared to press further into a 
region never meant for him. 

For some time the warrior sat his horse 
in perfect stillness ; it was as though he 
were surveying the country round about 
for signs of danger, or, more probably, for 
signs of prey. Then he suddenly turned 
his horse and disappeared from the summit 
of the knoll. 

The three mounted once more and con- 
tinued in the trail they had been following ; 

6o 


WITH KIT CARSON 


the boys noted that the trapper looked at 
the priming of his rifle, and they did the 
same. They had no notion of what to 
expect ahead ; but that their guide con- 
sidered it more or less serious was plain. 
Another hour went by ; then they reached 
the bald hillock upon which they had seen 
the solitary brave. In a hollow about a 
hundred yards away was the remains of a 
large camp, the fires of which were still 
smouldering ; all about it the ground was 
trampled by the hoofs of hundreds of horses. 
From the top of the hillock Kit Carson 
studied the scene. 

There must have been four or five hun- 
dred redskins camped here up to a few 
hours ago,’^ said he. ^‘The brave we saw 
was about the last to leave.’^ 

But the trappers with Lopez, or Spotted 
Snake, are among them,^’ said Joe. “ They 
have walked right into a trap, for their trail 
leads into the Indian camp.’^ 

But the trapper shook his head. 

6i 


IN THE ROCKIES 

There were Indians and half-breeds in 
that company of trappers/^ he said, and 
they are mostly on good terms with the 
others of their kind. And the fact that 
they left the track that would have taken 
them to their hunting grounds, and took 
one leading straight to the big redskin 
camp, shows that they knew of it and made 
for it of their own accord. 

'' But why ? ” asked Dave. 

The trapper shook his head. 

“ I don't know,” said he. There may 
be a thousand reasons for it ; but we'd never 
guess one of them, like as not, if we tried 
for a month.” 

They spent a few minutes examining the 
Indian camp ; then they rode back at a 
smart pace until they struck the trail of 
their own party. When this was overtaken 
it was found to be encamped for the night. 

After supper, Dave and Joe noticed Kit 
in earnest conversation with the chief 

trapper. The two men talked in low tones, 
62 


WITH KIT CARSON 


but now and then the boys caught a 
disconnected word. ** Indian was one of 
frequent occurrence, war party, trail, 
and such fragments gave them something 
of the color of the conversation. 

They seem to think that there^s danger 
in the air,” said Joe in a whisper. 

The two, having in mind Kit's warning, 
sat beyond range of the firelight ; the 
trappers were as usual gathered in groups; 
a vigilant, guard was stationed off in the 
darkness upon each side of the camp. 

I suppose it's the size of the Indian 
party,'' spoke Dave to Joe. Here there's 
only a score of us ; what chance should we 
have against, say five hundred, if they made 
up their minds to attack us ? '' 

Not much, I guess,'' replied Joe, soberly. 

But, after all,'' with a hopeful note in his 
voice, “ it's not likely that the redskins 
know we're around. And their trail as 
they left their camp led directly away from 
us. I noticed that particularly.” 

63 


IN THE ROCKIES 


However, the trappers’ camp was one of 
precautions that night ; the horses were not 
only picketed, but hobbled as well to pre- 
vent a stampede. 

That’s a fav’rite little game with the 
reds,” the grizzled old trapper, whose name 
was Matthews, informed Dave. You see, 
we couldn’t get along without horses to 
carry our camp stuff and traps and pelts ; so 
if they can scare the critters and set ’em off 
wild with fright, they’ve broke up our trip 
and got us at their mercy.” 

But the night passed peacefully enough, as 
did the next and the next. Nine days after 
leaving Los Angeles, the company sighted 
the Colorado River. All thought, or all 
fear at least, of redskins had left the trappers ; 
a camp was pitched near the river and the 
traps were made ready for an operation 
against the beaver. 

I’ll send a party of seven up-stream and 
the same number down,” said Mr. Young 

on their first night on the Colorado. “ The 
64 


WITH KIT CARSON 


others with the two boys 1^11 leave with you 
to guard the camp/^ 

“ Right,” said Kit Carson, quietly. 

Next morning the parties, taking a few 
of the horses, set out to range the river ac- 
cording to the leader^s plans. When they 
had gone, Kit, with the help of old Matthews, 
the boys and the two other men left behind, 
picketed the horses upon one side of the 
camp ; the small bales of fur were built up 
in a complete circle, forming a sort of breast- 
work. 

An arrow would never get through these 
bundles of pelts,” said Kit as he regarded 
the walls ” of the camp with critical ap- 
proval. Even a bullet would have some- 
thing of a job doing it.” 

Everything belonging to the expedition, 
except the horses, was brought into the 
circle of hides. This had scarcely been 
done when the camp was startled by a 
sudden shout from old Zeke Matthews. He 
had been seeing to the mules, and now ran 

65 


IN THE ROCKIES 

toward the enclosure, his rifle ready in his 
hands. 

Injuns I he shouted. A whole tribe 
of them ! 

Startled, the little party leaped upon the 
rampart of hides. Advancing at a slow, 
swinging gallop across the soft turf that 
stretched away from the river was a perfect 
cloud of redskins. 


66 


CHAPTER V 


WHITE VERSUS RED ON THE COLORADO 

The feathered head-dress of many colors 
waved gaily above the advancing braves ; 
the streamers of their long lances danced in 
the breeze ; their lithe ponies covered the 
ground in cat-like leaps. 

'' Not a war party I said Kit Carson, as 
he eyed the horde keenly. But that 
makes little difference in this country ; 
they use the Mexicans they come upon 
much as they please — rob them — make 
them prisoners, or turn them adrift un- 
armed. Sometimes even worse has hap- 
pened. 

'' Well,'' said old Zeke, grimly, as he 
looked to the priming of his rifle, we 
ain't Mexicans, and I reckon there'll be 
nothing like that happen here." 

With one accord, as they reached a point 
67 


IN THE ROCKIES 


within a hundred yards of the camp, the 
Indians threw their mounts back upon 
their haunches and leaped to the ground ; 
then about a dozen of them came forward, 
signaled the whites, and with much osten- 
tation laid aside knife and tomahawk, long 
bow and quivers of arrows. Then with up- 
raised hands and every gesture of good-will 
used by the red men upon such occasions, 
they came toward the fort. As no protest 
came from Kit Carson, old Zeke Matthews 
looked at him with eyes of wonder. 

I say, Kit,’^ said he, “ when do you 
reckon it’ll be time to wave them varmints 
back?” 

The other shook his head. 

“ I’m thinking of letting them come in,” 
said he. 

The old trapper’s eyes grew bigger than 
ever. 

Wal,” said he, I’ve lived most of my 
life with Injuns near at hand ; but I ain’t 

never got so as I could trust ’em. These 
68 


WITH KIT CARSON 

braves look as if butter wouldn^t melt in 
their mouths ; but give ^em a chance and 
they’ll have their scalping knives at work 
amongst us, quicker’n you could say Jack 
Robinson.” 

'' I think,” said Kit Carson, to the boys, 
this is the band our friend Spotted Snake 
and his friends joined some days ago. If 
it is, we may have a chance of getting back 
your map. And if it isn’t, why, we’ll try 
to see that no harm is done, anyway.” 

The half dozen or so redskins who 
formed the “ talk ” party were now close 
at hand ; Kit called to them to halt, and 
spoke to them in one of the several Indian 
dialects which he knew. In after years this 
great frontiersman could hold a conversa- 
tion in their own language with any of the 
nations which roamed the plains. He was 
but twenty years of age during the trap- 
ping venture of Ewing Young to the Cali- 
fornias, and so had not become as familiar 

with the red men as was the case later. 

69 


IN THE ROCKIES 


And so when the ‘‘ talk party failed to 
understand him, he tried them in another 
tongue. This too failed ; and so he invited 
them within the enclosure so that he might 
converse with them in the sign language 
which almost all Indians know. A tall 
brave, evidently a chief, was the first to 
enter the fort; he was a sullen-browed 
fellow enough, fiat nosed, and with a face 
pitted by smallpox. But he gestured his 
perfect good-will, as did his companions, 
holding out their empty hands to show 
that they were unarmed. 

Curiously they inspected the enclosure ; 
the great quantity of furs plainly inter- 
ested them ; the pack-mules, the arms and 
camp equipment excited nods and grunts 
of appreciation. 

Kit was engaged with the chief, endeavor- 
ing to make him understand his signs ; the 
savage comprehended slowly, his mind ap- 
parently being more given to the treasures 
of the camp than what the trapper was 

70 


WITH KIT CARSON 


saying to him. As Kit was asking for 
information with regard to Spotted Snake, 
both Joe and Dave were eagerly interested, 
watching the signs and trying to interpret 
the chiefs replies. 

In a little while the trapper felt a hand 
placed upon his fringed sleeve ; looking 
around he saw Zeke Matthews at his side. 

‘‘Judging from the indications,” spoke 
the old trapper, “ I reckon this here chief 
don't know English. And that being the 
case, I make bold to tell you in that lan- 
guage that there's about forty more of them 
come inside the fort since you began to talk.” 

That the men would admit any more of 
the savages to the enclosure, or even allow 
them to approach the wall, had never oc- 
curred to Kit ; however, now that he was 
aware that they had done so, he showed no 
signs of haste or alarm. His quiet gray 
eyes ran around among the Indians who 
had adroitly wormed their way within the 
circle of pelts ; coolly he took in all the 

71 


IN THE ROCKIES 


details of the scene ; calmly he gauged its 
possibilities. 

The savages, grinning and with growing 
aggressiveness, were thronging up and down 
within the little enclosure ; a second glance 
showed the trapper that though the talk ” 
party may have entered unarmed, the 
others had only made the appearance of 
doing so. Under their clothes they carried 
hatchet and knife, sure testimony of their 
intentions. The swift, cool brain of the 
young trapper took in this fact and valued 
it properly in an instant; and almost as 
quickly his plans were made to meet the 
peril. 

The odds were overwhelming ; within the 
fort there were ten redskins to each white 
man ; in all, the savages outnumbered the 
hunters almost a hundred to one. But this 
fact had little effect upon Kit Carson ; his 
arrangements were as quiet and methodical 
as they would have been had the numbers 
been equal. 


;2 


WITH KIT CARSON 


“ Go quietly among the men/^ said he to 
old Zeke. “ Get them over here with all 
their arms ; but, whatever you do, don’t let 
the bucks get an idea of what’s going on.” 

The veteran trapper nodded and leisurely 
made his way through the throng of sav- 
ages. 

It looks bad,” said Dave Johnson. 

There’s enough of them to crush us into 
the ground just by sheer weight.” 

Kit Carson nodded. 

If they were white men,” said he, 
** there wouldn’t be anything to do but wait 
till we were sure of what they were going 
to do — and then surrender. But, they 
being Indians, the thing’s something differ- 
ent. Redskins will never take a chance 
with death, and that’s a fact that’s saved 
the lives of many a band of trappers. Let 
them be sure that some of them are to die, 
and they’ll begin to play ’possum. Their 
style of fighting is to always have the upper 
hand. Otherwise there’s no fight.” 

73 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Old Zeke passed the word calmly to his 
comrades ; and one at a time the men saun- 
tered across the circle and joined Kit and 
the boys. It was as though they had no 
object in the movement except to dawdle 
about, talk, and encourage their visitors to 
make themselves at home. When all six of 
the whites were finally together, rifies in 
hand, alert and ready for the desperate 
chance which meant life or death to them 
all. Kit Carson said quietly : 

Now, boys, when I give the word, each 
pick out a head man and cover him with 
your rifie. Til take the chief with pock- 
marked face. At the slightest movement 
that looks like resistance — fire I 

The men nodded ; the steady gripping of 
the rifie stocks alone told of their purpose ; 
their thumbs were on the triggers ; their 
eyes were upon the redskins. Then Kit’s 
soft, drawling voice said : 

Now ! ” 

As he spoke his rifle came to a level, the 
74 


WITH KIT CARSON 

muzzle within a few feet of the stalwart 
chief ; the three trappers and the two boys 
followed his example ; each of the grim 
black tubes stared a savage in the face. 

With dismay the Indians fell back into 
a huddled mass at one side ; not for an 
instant did the long rifles waver; in the 
barrel of each was a messenger which 
meant death ; they knew the deadly aim of 
the palefaces of the border and that they 
seldom missed their mark. The chief with 
the pitted face now found a fund of halting 
Spanish, and he addressed the trappers. 

We come as friends I Are not the white 
men our brothers ? 

With his cheek against the stock of his 
rifle and his gray eye glancing down the 
barrel, Kit Carson replied : 

Leave this camp ! And leave it at once. 
Stay and you are all dead men.’^ 

There was an instant’s pause — an instant 
full of suspense ; then the chief spoke to his 
braves. They made no answer, but gathered 
75 


IN THE ROCKIES 


their gay colored robes about them and 
sullenly filed out of the little fort ; and 
they never paused or looked behind until 
they were safely out of rifle shot. 

There will be a grand pow-wow/^ said 
Kit, as they watched the great band of 
savages join those just expelled from the 
fort. “ And if the chief who spoke has the 
say, I wouldn’t wonder if we had a little 
fight on our hands before sunrise. He had 
fire in his eye as he left.^^ 

One by one a chief or head man ha- 
rangued the redskins ; suddenly there was a 
chorus of shrill yells and a scattering for 
their ponies ; then, mounted, they formed a 
half circle, and with lances held high and 
bows ready for deadly work, they sat facing 
the camp of the whites like so many graven 
images. 


76 


CHAPTER VI 


TWO NIGHTS OF DANGER 

At sight of the great array of armed and 
mounted savages facing the little fort, the 
two lads from the East felt that sinking 
sensation which usually comes to those not 
bred to physical danger. At the crisis 
within the camp neither had felt the 
slightest fear ; the thing was so sudden and 
so desperate that they had no time to think 
of themselves. 

But this new situation was different ; their 
minds had time to grasp the consequence 
of the attack and they felt uneasy. It is 
probable that Kit Carson understood some- 
thing of what they were feeling ; more than 
likely he had once gone through it himself ; 
at any rate, he said : 

“ This doesn’t mean much, lads ; the reds 
are going to run rings around us, maybe, 
77 


IN THE ROCKIES 


and do a little fancy shooting. But they^ll 
keep out of range of our guns, and so, of 
course, we'll be out of reach of their bows. 
They are great fellows for that kind of ex- 
hibition." 

But Kit was mistaken. Instead of 
making the attack expected, a man rode 
out the half circle of horsemen and ap- 
proached the camp — one hand uplifted, the 
palm toward the whites. 

“ It seems to me," said Kit, his eyes upon 
the horseman, I know that gentleman." 

Dave Johnson uttered a cry. 

It's Lopez ! " exclaimed he. 

Down, lads, behind the wall ; don't let 
him see you ; I'll palaver him and maybe 
strike some kind of a bargain for your 
property." 

Accordingly the boys crouched behind 
the bales of pelts ; Lopez advanced easily 
upon his pony until he was within a dozen 
yards of the camp. Then he drew rein and 
sat grinning amiably at the trappers. 

78 


WITH KIT CARSON 


“ Well, Spotted Snake,” said Kit Carson, 
leaning upon his rifle and quietly surveying 
the half-breed, how is it I find you in 
company with a band of hostiles ? ” 

Spotted Snake grinned more widely than 
ever. 

They are not hostiles,” he said, in 
Spanish. Very good Indians. Mean no 
harm. You got frightened.” 

They may be very good redskins, as 
you say,” replied Kit ; but good or bad I’d 
rather not have many of them around with 
hatchets and scalping knives hidden in 
their blankets.” 

The half-breed laughed. 

They didn’t know you’d take anything 
they did in bad part,” said he. They are 
not used to dealing with white men, and so 
don’t know their ways.” 

Kit pointed to the crescent of armed 
warriors facing the camp. 

I suppose that, too, is a sign of good 
will,” said he. 


79 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Red Cloud is a big chief/’ said the half- 
breed, and he is very angry at the way 
you’ve treated him. He’s mounted his 
men and put them in fighting formation 
just to show you what he would look like 
if he really wanted to do you harm. He 
told me to tell you that his five hundred 
braves would dash over you as the waters 
of a mountain stream dash over the rocks in 
the time of freshets.” 

You’ve lived long enough among whites 
and have enough white blood in you, 
Spotted Snake, to know that talk of that 
sort won’t carry very far. If Red Cloud 
wants to see how far his young men can 
dash over us let him have them try it on. 
We can guarantee him twenty-five dead, 
and himself among them.” 

The half-breed grinned and nodded. 

I’ve told him that already,” said he. 

But he was bound to have me come and 
‘ make talk.’ If he could have scared you 

in the first place your furs, traps, horses 
8o 


WITH KIT CARSON 


and rifles would have satisfled him, I think. 
He^s not a half bad sort of fellow when you 
come to know him.” 

“ A while ago I asked you how you came 
to be in company with this band,” said Kit. 

I don^t think you answered me.” 

The trapping party I went out with 
fell in with them about ten days ago. 
They made us a good offer of pelts if we'd 
join them in a big bufialo hunt, they not 
having any rifles. As it was good business, 
the chief trapper agreed.” 

‘‘ The last time I saw you was at Taos,” 
said Kit. How is it I And you away up 
here ? ” 

I got out on the coast,” said the half- 
breed, and joined a ship. But the work 
was too hard,” with his ever present grin. 

I left them at Los Angeles.” 

** Ah I you were the fellow, then,” spoke 
the trapper as though surprised. I heard 
about your desertion.” 

You heard ? ” and even from that dis- 

8i 


IN THE ROCKIES 

tance Kit saw the man’s lids narrow into 
slits through which his sharp eyes peered. 

‘‘ A couple of the ship people were look- 
ing for you ; they hinted that you’d sort 
of clung to some property which wasn’t 
altogether yours, when you left.” 

The half-breed nodded. 

“ They told you that, eh ? Well, maybe 
it was true and maybe it wasn’t. But, any- 
way, I’m not sorry for my little voyage on the 
sea ; it promises to be something that will 
pay very well ; and that’s the kind of thing 
Manuel Lopez is looking for these days.” 

Suppose,” said the trapper, “ the ship 
people were willing to pay something down 
for what was taken. Would you consider 
it?” 

Lopez, or Spotted Snake, snapped his 
fingers airily. 

“This is a thing that could hardly be 
paid for,” he said. “ It’s only a chance, 
of course, but it’s such a big one that ready 
money is not much temptation.” 

82 


WITH KIT CARSON 


It happens that the folks who lost this 
property on the ship are friends of mine/^ 
said Kit. “ And being friends, I’m willing 
to help them out. Maybe, if money can’t 
buy back the things you’ve stolen, lead can.” 

As he spoke he threw forward his rifle, 
the stock against his hip, the muzzle cover- 
ing the half-breed. But the latter calmly 
sat his horse and looked at the trapper. 

Don’t forget,” said he, I came here 
under what the Indians regard as a flag 
of truce ; don’t forget that I am their 
spokesman, and that if anything happens 
to me they will take their revenge.” 

This result was very well understood by 
Kit ; to shoot or otherwise harm a man 
sent forward to parley by the savages was 
a very great indignity and one which would 
excite them to the limits of their fury. But 
that he held the matter at all seriously was 
kept hidden from Lopez. 

You saw us drive them out of camp 
a while ago,” said he, coolly ; that ought 

83 


IN THE ROCKIES 

to have shown you how much we fear 
them.’^ 

Another thing,” said the half-breed, 
equally calm, even if I had taken the 
things you speak of, would I be so great a 
fool as to carry them about with me ? If 
they were of value, wouldn^t I have cached 
them somewhere along the trail ? ” 

Kit Carson knew that Spotted Snake was 
a cunning, covetous fellow, brave and will- 
ing to go a long way to carry out his de- 
sires. As the matter stood, he feared that 
he had spoiled any chance that the boys 
might have had to recover the map, by 
putting the man on his guard. He was 
considering what he had best do under the 
circumstances, when the half-breed shook 
his rein and rode nearer the barrier. 

In Santa F6,” said he, there is an old 
man by the name of Diaz — Goat Beard, the 
Indians call him. He keeps a storeroom 
at one side of the town, buys furs and sells 
goods of all sorts to the Indians.” 

84 


WITH KIT CARSON 


I know him/^ said the trapper. “ An 
old rascal. 

Lopez grinned. 

“ Maybe/’ said he. “ But he is very use- 
ful at times. He has often transacted little 
matters of business for me in a very capable 
way.’^ 

The trapper got a glimmer of the man^s 
meaning, but more by his manner than his 
words. He nodded, as though he under- 
stood ; but he said nothing. 

“ Maybe,” proceeded the half-breed, “ if 
you were to go to old Diaz during the sum- 
mer when the trapping season is done, some 
arrangements could be made in any matter 
that you care to speak of.” 

Again the trapper nodded. 

California is a fine country ; but I donT 
care as much for it as I do for New Mexico,” 
said Lopez. And, then, trapping is my 

business and not ” but he stopped short, 

as though not willing to commit himself to 
anything that would definitely incriminate 

85 


IN THE ROCKIES 


him. Anyway/^ he continued, look for 
old Diaz in the hot months ; he may have 
something to say to you.^^ 

Here he wheeled his horse, calling over 
his shoulder : 

“ And remember, Red Cloud is a friend 
to the paleface. His brother does him wrong 
when he thinks Red Cloud means anything 
but good feeling.” 

The spotted pony which the man rode 
raced back to the solid crescent of braves. 
Whatever Lopez reported had the effect of 
dismounting them ; they picketed their 
horses and went into camp, outside the 
range of the white man^s fire. 

The fire at which the supper of the six 
was cooked after nightfall was masked so 
that the light might not attract a flight of 
arrows from any of the bucks who might 
be lurking in the darkness. The horses 
were well within rifle shot and were hobbled 
so that to stampede them would be im- 
possible. However, a guard was kept over 
86 


WITH KIT CARSON 


them ; and during the night not more than 
one of the whites slept at a time. 

Morning dawned, and they saw the smoke 
ascending from the redskins' camp-fires ; 
apparently the warriors had remained all 
night as they had been at sunset. During 
the day Red Cloud and one of his braves 
visited the fort and were admitted ; the 
chief in his halting Spanish protested the 
utmost friendship ; but all the time the 
whites noted his evil little eyes coveting 
everything he saw in the camp, and so their 
suspicions were not abated. The second 
night passed much as the first ; the little 
party did not dare sleep, for there was no 
telling at what moment the quiet of the 
night would be broken by the yells of the 
red horde, a sleet of arrows, and the leaping 
of demon figures over the barricade. At 
the beginning of the second day there was 
a stir in the Indian camp ; preparations 
were being made for a movement of some 
sort. 


87 


IN THE ROCKIES 


“ They mean either an attack, or to break 
camp,’^ said Kit Carson, as he watched them 
for a space. I am not sure which.” 

The braves swung themselves upon the 
backs of the ponies, fully armed as before ; 
in a sweeping line they faced the little fort, 
the ponies snorting and prancing, the grim 
riders as still as death. 

Fire when they reach a distance of 
seventy-five yards,” said Kit, resting his 
rifle barrel upon the wall of furs, and throw- 
ing himself upon the ground. ** Youfil 
then have time to reload. And make every 
shot tell.” 

The five remaining rifles were also rested 
upon the wall, and the five riflemen sought 
cover behind it. The air was charged with 
the electricity of a coming struggle ; and 
when the very moment seemed to have 
arrived, there was a shout from the river, 
the sound of hoof-beats, and up dashed the 
chief trapper. Young, and his six buck- 
skinned followers. At the sight of these 
88 


WITH KIT CARSON 

reinforcements the redskins fell into a sort 
of confusion. And while this lasted Kit 
explained the situation to Young. 

I don’t think they’ll make any move- 
ment against us now,” said the head trapper. 
What do you say ? ” 

I think you’re right,” replied Kit 
Carson. If they took two days to make 
up their minds to tackle six men, it’ll take 
’em a week to get to the point of facing 
twice that many.” 

Well, by that time,” said Young, grimly, 
there will be still more of us ; for I mean 
to break camp, move down the stream, pick 
up the rest of the boys and then strike for 
the Gila.” 

Half the party set to work, adjusting the 
bundles of pelts upon the backs of the mules ; 
the remainder, with ready rifles, watched the 
Indians. When everything was in march- 
ing shape the trappers started along the 
river bank. The band of savages followed 
in their track during the entire day ; but 
89 


IN THE ROCKIES 


one by one the remaining trappers were 
picked up ; and when at last the sun went 
down it showed the hostile band encamped 
upon a hillside not more than a half mile 
away. But now instead of six there were a 
full score of deadly rifles between them and 
their prey. 


90 


CHAPTER VII 


HOW THE TRAPPERS RETALIATED 

The Indian band lighted large fires upon 
the hillside that night ; the tall figures of 
the braves could be seen flitting to and 
fro in mysterious activity. The trappers 
watched the unusual spectacle for quite a 
long time without comment. 

They are fixing up some kind of a dis- 
agreeableness for us,” spoke old Zeke Mat- 
thews, at length. ‘‘ And I opine, Cap^n 
Young, that Pd better take a little scout 
out in that direction and see what it is.” 

“ All right,” said the head trapper. If 
you care to take the risk, Zeke, go ahead. 
But I^m not asking you to do it, mind you.” 

I’m going to do this little pilgrimage 
for my own private amusement,” said the 
veteran, humorously. I always did get a 
lot of fun out of a passel of redskins when 

91 


IN THE ROCKIES 

they were getting downright serious at their 
work/^ 

He took up his rifle ; and a heavy pistol 
was stuck in his belt. Then he crept out of 
camp and away into the darkness. 

Two hours had elapsed when he returned. 
He put down his gun and warmed his bony 
hands at the cheerful blaze. 

“ The varmints are having a mighty in- 
teresting time of it,” he said. That^s a 
council Are you see blazing up there on the 
hill ; and theyTe sitting all around it, smok- 
ing their pipes and making speeches to each 
other. Old Red Cloud is anxious to get his 
hands on our outfit, I guess; but his braves 
want to see their way to getting it without 
being hurt.” 

Council, eh ? ” said the chief trapper. 

Well, we’ll have some kind of action be- 
fore long. It will be either one thing or 
the other.” 

A powerful guard was placed all about 

the camp ; but the night went by without 
92 


WITH KIT CARSON 


any hostile sound from that of the Indians^ ; 
toward dawn the council fire upon the hill- 
side died down ; when the sun finally 
showed its great, round, red face over the 
top of a distant mountain, the whites, to 
their astonishment and relief, saw the camp- 
ing ground of the foes deserted. Not a sav- 
age was to be seen anywhere. 

“ It was a good council ! ” spoke Kit Car- 
son, grimly. “ Either Red Cloud is a wise 
chief, or his young men have good eyes for 
danger.^^ 

But there was no trusting the red men, 
who were known to be cunning foes ; a party 
of the trappers set out upon their trail and 
followed it for some hours. There was no 
sign, by the end of that time, that the retreat 
was a ruse ; so the trailers returned to camp. 
The mules were burdened with their packs 
of furs and camp equipment once more, 
and again the outfit moved down the river. 

It seems a hardship to move away from 
the place where I know Lopez to be,^^ said 
93 


IN THE ROCKIES 

Dave Johnson to Kit, as they rode side by 
side. 

I feel the same way,’’ said Joe Frazier. 

In the last hour I’ve had it on my tongue 
a dozen times to say to you : ^ Let’s stay 
where we are until we make that rascally 
half-breed give up his plunder.’ ” 

Kit Carson shook his head. 

I understand just how it is, I think,” 
said he. But to stay behind here, just the 
two of you, would be to throw your lives 
away.” He regarded them seriously for a 
moment, and then continued : I’ve been 
thinking over this little affair of yours, and 
about what Spotted Snake had to say ; and 
I’ve made up my mind that the best thing 
you both could do would be to go right on 
to Santa F6.” Again he paused for a mo- 
ment, then continued : Your father’d be 
willing to pay a little to have this map re- 
turned, wouldn’t he ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Joe. “ That is, if we couldn’t 
get it any other way.” 

94 


WITH KIT CARSON 


The trapper laughed. 

Of course/’ he said. And we’ll try 
that other way first. I think it is wrong to 
knuckle down to the half-breed’s demands. 
But Santa F6 is the place to get in touch 
with him again, one way or the other ; and 
I think you can ease your mind and leave 
this section, knowing that it’s the best thing 
you can do.” 

This sounded like logic to the boys ; and 
so they put all uneasy thoughts behind 
them, and gave themselves up to the labor 
and excitements of the trappers’ life. Day by 
day the expedition continued down the Colo- 
rado, setting their traps and reaping a big 
harvest of beaver fur. When they reached 
tide-water they changed the scene of their 
efforts to the Gila River, which enters the 
Colorado at about this point ; and they 
trapped along the Gila day after day with 
wonderful success until they came to the 
mouth of the San Pedro. 

At this point the saddle-horses of the 
95 


IN THE ROCKIES 


trappers had been pressed into service to 
carry the treasure of furs. So fortunate had 
the trappers been that with hundreds of 
miles of stream before them they had 
already reached their transporting capacity. 

It is a hardship for us to have to let 
this great chance slip/^ said Young one night 
at the camp-fire. Beaver has never been 
so plentiful, and I feel sure that it will 
continue so all the way up the river. But 
there is no sense in our going on taking furs 
if we have no way of carrying them ; so the 
only thing I can see to do is to take the 
trail for New Mexico and sell what weVe 
gotr 

Old Zeke Matthews sat listening to the 
head trapper, honing the edge of his great 
hunting knife and nodding his head in 
agreement with him. But at the proposition 
that they leave the remainder of the stream 
untouched, and make for their market, he 
protested. 

“It’s just fiying in the face of Nature, 
96 


WITH KIT CARSON 


that^s what it is/^ said he, earnestly. Here 
we have luck raining down on us ; and we^re 
going to turn our backs on it.^^ 

Kit Carson smiled at the old man^s in- 
dignation. 

“ Well, Zeke,’^ said he, ‘‘what else is there 
to do ? If we have no horses to carry the 
pelts, what's the use of taking them ? " 

“ Get horses," returned the old fellow, 
laconically. 

There was a general laugh from the men 
lounging about the fire. 

“ Where can we get them ?" asked Young, 
good-naturedly. 

“The Injuns have 'em," declared Zeke. 
“ There's a village less than two hours' ride 
from this camp where there's a whole drove 
of horses and mules that the reds have 
stolen from the Greasers." 

There was a silence ; Zeke rubbed away 
at his knife and went on : 

“ They're a thieving lot, and it'd be a just 
punishment on 'em to lose the nags. And 
97 


IN THE ROCKIES 

that ain^t all I When we set out on this 
trip who went for us tooth and nail but this 
same gang of varmints? We punished ’em 
for it, but we didn’t punish ’em enough. If 
white men are to come into this country the 
redskins must be taught to go easy on the 
bow and arrow, and the hatchet and knife. 
So I’m for giving ’em a lesson before we 
strike this camp.” 

A murmur went up from the men. The 
idea pleased them. They had not forgotten 
the attack of the Indians upon their ven- 
turing into the wilderness ; and to strike a 
blow in retaliation, more especially such a 
businesslike blow as that suggested by 
Zeke, appealed to them. 

Long and earnestly the matter was dis- 
cussed ; and finally it was agreed upon. 
It was a savage country and a rough time ; 
and the thoughts and opinions of men are 
always moulded by their surroundings and 
their needs. However it may look to us to- 
day, to impress the herd of mules was not from 
98 


WITH KIT CARSON 


the trappers’ point of view at all contrary 
to the laws of justice. They regarded it in 
the same light as the commander of an 
army did the requisitioning of supplies in 
the country of the enemy. 

Next day a half dozen men were left to 
guard the camp ; the balance of the party, 
with Dave and Joe pressing joyously on in 
their midst, set out upon their errand. 
After a ride of a couple of hours the band 
sighted a large mixed herd of horses and 
mules. These were grazing some little dis- 
tance up the San Pedro ; and a scout or 
two was sent to locate the Indian village. 

^Ht’s off to the west, there,” said old 
Zeke. “ I was there once, trading ; and 
the varmints robbed us of everything we 
had.” 

After a short time the scouts returned. 
The village, a clutter of dirty huts, lay in 
the direction indicated by Zeke ; and the 
band of buckskin-clad trappers rode toward 
it under cover of the timber. 

99 


IN THE ROCKIES 


** There it is/^ said Kit Carson, at length 
pointing through the trees. 

The village lay quietly in the sun ; it 
was a barren, neglected place ; the bucks 
lolled in the doorways of the low huts ; in 
the narrow fields the women were preparing 
to plant the scanty crops. 

At a word of command the trappers 
shouted to their mounts ; at full speed they 
dashed into the village, their firearms rat- 
tling and snapping briskly. Yells of fear 
and rage went up from the savages ; they 
grabbed up their arms, and their deadly 
arrows began to hiss through the air. 

Open order,^^ called the chief of the 
trappers. DonT ride so close together. 
Load and hold your fire until I give the 
word ! 

The horses were brought to a standstill 
outside the town ; the trappers reloaded 
their rifles and looked to the state of their 
pistols. During this pause in the attack 
the savages recovered from their surprise ; 

lOO 


WITH KIT CARSON 


and upon a sort of plain, stretching away 
to the river, they rallied their forces. The 
village was quite a large one ; several hun- 
dred warriors faced the trappers, and from 
their furious actions it was plain that they 
meant to make a most desperate defense. 

Ready ? ” called the head trapper. 

“ All ready,^' was the answer from his 
men. 

Hold your fire till I give the word,^^ 
said the leader, once more. Then lifting 
his hand : ** Charge I 

Down rode the trappers upon the red- 
skins ; and the latter bent their bows with 
practiced hands, the keen eyes of each se- 
lecting a mark. 


lOI 


CHAPTER VIII 


KIT REACHES SANTA Pfi ONCE MORE 

The open order of the whites and the 
rifle fire which came like a thunder clap at 
the command of their leader discomfited 
the savages ; the arrows flew wild, and as 
the horsemen came plunging at them, their 
small arms crackling, they broke and ran 
toward the river. 

For perhaps a mile the trappers pursued 
them, more to keep them on the run and 
discourage another rally than anything 
else ; then at a shout from Young they 
wheeled about and made for the herd on 
the other side of the village. 

Calmly the victors selected the best of the 
animals, some of their number watching for 
the possible approach of the redskins. But 
the latter were too completely demoralized 

to venture an attack, so the trappers rode 
102 


WITH KIT CARSON 


away to their camp leading a full score of 
pack animals, sufficient to carry all the fur 
they^d be likely to take, even with the best 
of luck, during the remainder of their 
work upon the Gila. 

That kind of a little lesson ainTlost on the 
reds,’’ said old Zeke, after they had reached 
camp and were settled down watching their 
meat cooking over the coals. They won’t 
be so ready to pitch into every company of 
whites they see for some time to come.” 

From then on the party continued up 
the Gila River until they reached New 
Mexico ; luck had continued to favor them 
and when they finally entered Santa F6 
they had two thousand pounds of beaver 
fur. 

“ At twelve dollars a pound,” said Kit 

Carson, that’s about ” 

Twenty-four thousand dollars,” spoke 

Joe. 

The trapper looked at him admiringly. 

‘‘I never had any schooling,” said he, 
103 


IN THE ROCKIES 


except what I got from old Kin Cade one 
winter up north of Santa Fe. It^d take me 
some time to calculate that ; and here you 
do it in your head, like a shot.” 

Was this Kin Cade a schoolmaster?” 
asked Dave. 

The trapper laughed. 

No ; he was an old fellow I stumbled on 
once, away up in the hills when I first came 
here. He lived all alone in a hut ; and he 
knew more about the mountains, about In- 
dians, animals and fish than anybody I 
ever met. He taught me Spanish and a 
couple of the Indian languages; also he 
showed me how to tan deerskins so that 
they would be soft and pliable, to dye 
them, to make them into hunting ^shirts, 
leggins and moccasins. Indian feather and 
bead work I also got from him. Kin was a 
wise old man.” 

The trappers who had followed Ewing 
Young so hardily through all the perils of 
the mountains and deserts, of field and 
104 


WITH KIT CARSON 


flood, were now given their share of the 
money brought by the pelts ; they at once 
proceeded to Taos and there the company 
disbanded. 

However, Kit Carson and the two boys 
remained in Santa F6. 

“ Spotted Snake is or will be here,’’ said 
the trapper. So we’ll just look around a 
little and see what we can see.” 

Santa F6 then had a mongrel population 
of some three thousand ; its sun-baked 
adobe buildings, its gaily clad Mexicans 
in trousers slashed to the knees and adorned 
with rows of buttons, great sombreros and 
high colored mantles ; the barbarous peoples 
from around about, who came in to trade, 
the half-breeds, the picturesquely clad fron- 
tiersmen from the north, all served to give 
this city, renowned in the history of the 
Great West, a most unusual appearance. 

The first morning there Kit Carson 
sought out a bronzed old trader who was 

outfitting for a trip among the Indians. 

105 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Buck/^ said the trapper, after they had 
greeted each other, have you seen any- 
thing lately of that ‘ breed ^ they call Spot- 
ted Snake ?” 

“ What do you want of him ? ” demanded 
the trader, surprised. I should think 
you^d be well satisfied to let varmints like 
that alone.^' 

This is a little matter of business,’^ said 
the trapper. “ I’m not hunting him from 
choice, but because I must.” 

The trader grunted. From his manner 
it was plain to the boys that he held Spotted 
Snake in no great esteem. 

“ Well, if you must see him. I’ll do my 
best for you,” he said. The Snake was 
seen in the town only a few nights ago ; a 
couple of my men met him and heard him 
doing a lot of wild talking about making a 
fortune — about gold which came so thick 
that you could gather it up in buckets. 
The sun must have struck through his 

sombrero,” added the trader, drily. 

io6 


WITH KIT CARSON 


The trapper looked at the boys, and they 
returned the look with troubled eyes. 

“ I reckon though,” went on the trader, 
“ if he did have anything valuable, he'd 
put himself in the proper company to get 
rid of it. Remember that fellow they 
called ‘ Moccasin ' Williams up in Taos ? 
Well, he was one of them ; and,” with a 
nod of the head, “ I think that speaks for 
itself.” 

Kit and the two lads walked slowly down 
the narrow street. 

Moccasin Williams, eh ? ” said the 
trapper, thoughtfully. Yes, as Buck 
Morgan says, he speaks for himself. 
There's not a bigger rascal in the south- 
west. Once was a miner in old Mexico, I 
believe ; and later lived among the Black- 
feet and the Comanches. I've even heard 
it said that he was a renegade and took part 
with the redskins in attacking many a 
wagon train.” 

That the man had been a miner inter- 
107 


IN THE ROCKIES 


ested both Dave and Joe vitally. A chill 
struck their hearts as they thought of the 
brave old veteran of MacDonough^s victory 
who waited away there in the Mission of 
San Gabriel for news of his boys and the 
map of the treasure country. 

“ Maybe we^d better go to see the man 
Lopez mentioned to you/' said Joe. 

Goat Beard ? " said Kit. Yes, I'd 
been thinking of that. It won't do any 
harm to go talk to him. The * breed ' 
must have heard that our company's got 
back, and so knows we're around some- 
where." 

They passed quickly through the town ; 
at the far side was a squalid section mostly 
occupied by Indians and the riff-raff of a 
frontier settlement. A wretched sun- 
baked adobe house with very low door- 
ways and a generally forlorn aspect bore 
some straggling lettering across the front. 

This is old Diaz's storehouse," said Kit. 

Inside, the place was deep with shadows. 
io8 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Cured pelts and buffalo hides were heaped 
in corners ; traps hung from the ceiling ; 
rifles, clothing, knives, hardware, pottery 
and examples of feather work were dis- 
played for sale. 

A fat old woman, a Mexican half-breed, 
came waddling forward. 

“ A blessing on the brave Americanos, 
wheezed she in Spanish. “ You are our 
first patrons of the day. Good luck be 
with you ; and what will you have ? ” 

Where is Diaz? asked the trapper. 

The old woman threw up her fat hands 
and wagged her fat head. 

** Diaz ! she cried. He is here ; but 
he is almost mad I Never have I seen him 
so wrought up, and I have been married to 
him for forty years. But,^^ with the facility 
of much practice, “ what will you have ? I 
can buy, sell and trade as well as Diaz. 
What will you have ? 

We want to see your husband,’^ said Kit. 

See him I Again the old woman 
109 


IN THE ROCKIES 


flourished her hands. “ Impossible, senor I 
He will see no one. He has met with a 
misfortune ! 

From the back of the storehouse they 
now heard a wailing voice lifted to a pitch 
of great distress. 

Oh, a blight is on me,’^ it droned. “ A 
darkness is shut down upon me. Never 
again will such a chance be mine. To 
think of it ! A river running with gold — 
clear, yellow, beautiful gold ! 

At this the three Americans looked at 
each other with quickened interest; the 
old woman wrung her fat hands and took 
up the wail. 

Running with gold, senors — a large 
river whom no one but the Indians have 
any knowledge of. And now the paper is 
gone. We shall never see it again.” 

Kit Carson leaned his rifle against a heap 
of wolf skins ; to the woman he said : 

We must see your husband, senora ; 

the matter is of great importance.” Then, 
no 


WITH KIT CARSON 


as she shook her head stubbornly, he added : 
‘‘ It is about this paper ; tell him that.” 

The woman gave him a greedy look ; 
then as fast as her unwieldy body would 
permit, she scuttled to the rear of the store- 
house and through a curtained doorway. 
Beyond this there came a babble of excited 
voices ; then the woman reappeared followed 
by an old man with bent shoulders and a 
long, chin beard. 

“ Senors,” squeaked this latter, in a thin, 
trembling voice, I welcome you. You 
have come to bring joy to my old heart, 
have you not? You have come with an 
oflPer from the senor of the moccasins?” 
eagerly, as his ratty old eyes ran from one 
to the other. Sit down. Be comfortable. 
Let us approach this business quietly and 
with freedom.” 

The trapper folded his arms across his 
chest and leaned his shoulders against the 
bare clay wall. 

We were told by Manuel Lopez to seek 

111 


IN THE ROCKIES 

you out when we arrived in Santa said 
he. “ It is on a business about a paper 
which he has — a paper which he took from 
the schooner ‘ Gadfly ^ at Los Angeles.^^ 

The quaking hands of Goat Beard began 
to gesture ; his halting old tongue was 
striving to form a reply, when the curtains 
at the rear doorway were once more pushed 
aside — and Lopez himself stood before them ! 

The half-breed ^s eyes were bloodshot and 
feverish ; his brown hands trembled as badly 
as those of the old man. 

“ So you are here, are you ? ** said he, 
after he had stood staring at them for a 
moment from the doorway. ‘‘ You are 
here, and looking for the map.^^ 

He threw up his hands, pressing them 
tightly to his forehead ; then he began to 
laugh in a way that made the flesh of the 
two lads creep. 

“ He^s like a madman,^’ whispered Dave 
to his cousin. 

Something has happened,” replied Joe, 

II2 



so YOU ARE HERE!^> 



IN THE ROCKIES 


in the same low tone. “ And something 
that means ill luck for us, I'm afraid." 

Kit Carson made no movement nor 
answer ; he continued leaning against the 
adobe wall, his strong arms folded across 
his chest. After a few moments the half- 
breed recovered from his frenzy ; but his 
eyes still gleamed, his fingers opened and 
shut like the claws on an animal. 

‘‘ Yes," said he, nodding his head slowly. 

I did ask you to come here ; and I meant 
to deal honestly with you, too. But it's too 
late I I've been an idiot ; and I've been 
robbed ! " 

Of the map ! " Dave Johnson made a 
step forward. 

Yes ; of the map," replied Lopez. I 
began to boast of the great luck I had. I 
showed the map to Moccasin Williams. He 
is a miner of experience. He had heard 
stories of gold in California, and had always 
wanted to go there. Later, while I was 
asleep, he robbed me." 

114 


WITH KIT CARSON 


He sank down upon a heap of hides, his 
hands covering his face ; from his manner 
one who did not know the merits of the 
case would have considered him an honest 
man grievously wronged. 

A river of flowing gold,” wailed Goat 
Beard. Yellow, beautiful gold ! And 
now we will never know where it is. We 
shall never see it — never gather a nugget, 
never a grain of its dust.” 

After this outburst there was a moment^s 
silence ; then Kit Carson spoke. 

^'So Moccasin Williams now has the 
map,” said he. Have you any idea where 
he is?” 

The half-breed leaped up. 

If I had, would I be here ? ” asked he, 
his eyes aflame. Would I not be stepping 
in his tracks and hoping for the moment 
which would bring me up with him ? ” 
Have you searched the town ? ” 

“ I have. To-morrow I go to Taos. 
Then the settlements all through the hills 

115 


IN THE ROCKIES 

will be searched. I have friends who will 
help me. There’s not an Indian village 
but will come under our eyes, or hide him 
from us. And when I find him ” 

Here his gesture finished the sentence — a 
gesture as deadly in its meaning as the 
coiling of a rattlesnake. 

After a few moments more in the store- 
house of Goat Beard, the three Americans 
left. 

'' The map is gone, sure enough,” said 
Kit, as they went slowly down the street. 

And that this blackguard Moccasin Will- 
iams has it, is more than likely.” 

“But is Lopez to escape punishment?” 
asked Dave, who tingled with a desire to 
bring the half-breed to book for what he 
had done, and the labor, the anxiety, the 
peril he had caused them. 

Kit shook his head. 

“ Santa Fe is only a frontier town,” said 
he. “ And what little law there is is Mexi- 
can, and Mexican law don’t go very far in 

ii6 


WITH KIT CARSON 

favor of an American. There are men who'd 
take the thing in their own hands and deal 
with Spotted Snake as Spotted Snake says 
he^l deal with this man Williams if he ever 
puts his eyes on him ; but we are not that 
kind. We’ll wait ; for who knows what will 
happen, and maybe before a great while.” 

That evening the three held council ; and 
it was not long before they came to an 
agreement. Joe and Dave each wrote a 
long letter telling of what they had done 
and vrhat they meant to do. These were 
addressed to Joe’s father at the San Gabriel 
Mission. They told him to be of good 
heart and to remain where he was until he 
heard from them again. 

We are going to search for Moccasin 
Williams until we find him,” wrote Joe to 
his father. And to help us we have the 
finest fellow you ever saw — a dead shot, and 
one of the quickest brains on the frontier. 
It may be some time before we see you 

again ; but don’t worry, dad ; we’ll be all 
117 


IN THE ROCKIES 


right, and will come through it all with 
credit to you/^ 

“ Buck Morgan^ll be trading up as far as 
the Colorado this summer, Kit told the 
boys. ** And he'll be sure to find a Mexican 
or a Pueblo who'll carry the writings to the 
mission.” 

Next day this was seen to ; the trader, 
who was the same Kit had interviewed on 
the previous morning, readily agreed to see 
to the forwarding of the letters. 

“ And I’ll send a little word of my own,” 
said he kindly to the boys. “ You see 
you’re only youngsters and he might think 
you’re plunging into some harum-scarum 
thing that’ll bring you nothing but danger. 
But if an outsider tells him it’s the best thing 
to be done, it might hearten him up a little.” 

The boys thanked Mr. Morgan for his 
good-natured offer and begged him not to 
let the idea slip his mind ; then, with Kit, 
they rode off toward Taos. 

This latter town was even of a more primi- 

ii8 


WITH KIT CARSON 


tive cast than Santa F6 ; it was smaller and 
the population was less law abiding. Into 
Taos poured all the trappers, teamsters and 
other wild spirits of the country ; and from 
Taos set out almost all the expeditions in 
search of fur, trade and adventure. A week 
was given to the search for Moccasin Will- 
iams ; but they failed to find him. 

They were careful to make but guarded 
inquiries for the man ; to have him learn, 
in case he was skulking anywhere about, 
that he was being sought, would have no 
other effect than to frighten him away. 

However, the search was thorough for all 
their secrecy ; and the end was that Taos 
was given up as a possible hiding place. 

Then they took up Lopez' idea of the set- 
tlements oiT among the hills ; weird barbar- 
ous places where the Mexicans and half- 
breeds lived in a most primitive condition ; 
failing to find any trace of the man the In- 
dians were tried at their lonely villages ; 

but all to no purpose. 

1 19 


IN THE ROCKIES 


He’s gone,” said Kit, with conviction, 
one day at the end of summer ; “ he’s gone 
as sure as shooting. But where ? ” 

Then one day, on the main street of Taos, 
they encountered old Zeke Matthews. 

'‘Just now joined Fitzpatrick’s company 
to trap on the Salmon River,” he told them, 
after they had exchanged greetings. " Lot 
of trapping going to be done this season. 
Old Cap’n Gaunt went out already. Got 
some of Young’s old men ; I’d have gone 
too, but you see I’ve got so’s I pick my 
company very carefully these days.” 

The trapper and the two boys smiled at 
the old fellow’s manner. 

" You didn’t like some of Gaunt’s men, 
then ? ” said Kit. 

" Hardly. There’s some right down 
scalawags among them,” said Zeke. “ Good 
trappers, mind you. But that ain’t every- 
thing. I’ve had too many hard rubs from 
the Injuns in my day to join a company 
that’s got a renegade among ’em.” 

120 


WITH KIT CARSON 


A renegade,’' said Kit, and there was a 
quick snap in his eyes. 

Moccasin Williams,” said Zeke. 

So he’s gone out with Captain Gaunt’s 
party, has he ? ” said Kit. And what 
country does the captain propose to trap ? ” 
Oh, the Laramie and the Snake Rivers, 
I hear,” replied Zeke. About the same 
section as Fitzpatrick’s crowd.” 

That evening Kit and his two young 
friends held another council. 

“ Williams’ going out with Captain Gaunt 
shows one thing very plainly,” said the 
trapper. Either he’s heard of us search- 
ing for him, or Spotted Snake’s been so hot 
on his trail that there was nothing else to 
do. He didn’t dare make for California to 
prove the truth of the map, because he felt 
that somebody would be sure to be watching 
for him at the missions or towns.” 

** What do you suppose his plans are ? ” 
asked Joe. 

“ It may be,” said the trapper, looking 
121 


IN THE ROCKIES 


thoughtfully at them both, that he’s gone 
out with Gaunt just to wait till the search 
for him dies down. Or it might be that he 
means to make for the coast by a longer 
way.” 

Dave thought of the grim mountain 
chains, the trackless prairies, the roving 
bands of Indians, some of whom had never 
seen a white man. 

A single man could never make his way 
by that route,” said he. 

Kit shook his head. 

Maybe not,” he said, slowly. “ But, at 
the same time, don’t forget that Moccasin 
Williams has lived among the redskins ; he 
knows their ways and talks their languages. 
What would be death to any other might 
be smooth going enough for him.” 

*‘We must reach him before he leaves 
the trapping company he went out with,” 
said Joe, excitedly. If we don’t he’ll 
get away from us for good.” 

Well,” said Kit, thoughtfully, we can’t 
122 


WITH KIT CARSON 


follow Gaunt’s track by ourselves. The 
Indians would be down on us before we’d 
been out a week. But old Zeke says Fitz- 
patrick’s company is going to trap in much 
the same country as Gaunt. What say if 
we join Fitzpatrick, and in that way get 
within striking distance of our man ? ” 

Both lads jumped at the idea ; and 
next morning the three went to see Mr. 
Fitzpatrick, a trapper and trader well 
known in the southwest. He was pleased 
to see them, for men were rather difficult to 
secure at the time. 

The result was that in an hour all ar- 
rangements were made ; and in a few weeks 
Kit Carson and his boy comrades had 
turned their faces toward the wilderness 
once more. 


123 


CHAPTER IX 


IN THE COUNTKY OF THE HOSTILES 

Fitzpatkick, the head of the fur hunting 
expedition of which Kit Carson now made 
one, was a hardy, courageous man, a good 
trapper, and knew the country and its signs 
as well as any other man of his time. 

He led his party almost north ; this course 
they held until they reached the head 
waters of the Platte. 

Winter was now upon them in the midst 
of the mountains ; the snow filled the 
defiles, the icy wind moaned in the naked 
trees and among the crags. But besides 
their buckskins the trappers now wore thick 
furs ; and the warm blood of a vigorous life 
in the hills and on the prairies made the 
experience only one of increased pleasure to 
the hardy border men. 

124 


WITH KIT . CARSON 


At each camp enough “ half faced houses 
were erected to shelter the men from the 
wind and snow. These were made of 
boughs, barks and skins and were of three 
sides and a roof. The front was open, 
toward the fire ; the men slept on fur robes 
or blankets, their feet turned to the blazing 
logs. 

The Platte was followed slowly, the party 
taking furs all the way to the Sweet Water, 
one of its tributaries ; and this stream in 
turn was trapped until they reached Green 
River. From there they progressed to 
Jackson^s Hole, a fork of the Columbia ; 
then on to the Salmon River where a part 
of their own band, which had left Taos 
some days in advance, joined them. 

Old Zeke Matthews was among these new 
men ; and at once Kit and the boys began 
questioning him with regard to any news 
which he might have heard of GaunPs 
men. 

Nothing at all,” replied the old fellow. 

125 


IN THE ROCKIES 


** A couple of Injuns came into camp one 
night and told us that some trappers were at 
work a little west of us ; but from what they 
said I’m pretty nigh sure they were Sin- 
clair’s party who left about the same time 
we did.” 

The entire Fitzpatrick expedition now 
having gathered, a group of warm huts was 
erected in a sunny valley, protected from 
the sweep of the winds ; and as the trappers 
meant to spend the remainder of the winter 
there, they were at more pains to arrange 
the camp, and make themselves comfort- 
able. 

Most of the time in this long encamp- 
ment was spent in dressing pelts and mend- 
ing and making equipment and clothing. 
The only hunting done was for food. They 
were in the country of the Blackfeet, a 
daring nation of red marauders, but be- 
cause of the cold the trappers did not 
expect any troublesome attention from 
them. 


126 


WITH KIT CARSON 


They^ll stick to their lodges/^ said 
Zeke ; “ the varmints don’t like hard 
weather.’’ 

But ^that they had all reckoned without 
the wile of the red man and his desire for 
the property of the whites was soon made 
evident. A herd of buffalo was sighted 
one day on a plain, and a party of four of 
the trappers mounted and went in pursuit. 
Just how their fate overtook them will 
never be known ; but that it was sudden 
and dreadful was plain to their comrades. 
A band of Indians dashed down upon them 
and all four lost their lives. 

Vengeance shook the camp on the Salmon 
River ; in a fury the trappers armed ; but 
for all their swiftness the savages escaped ; 
not even an eagle plume was seen ; and 
their tracks were lost in the falling snow. 

When the spring opened operations were 
commenced on the Salmon ; at length they 
reached the Snake or Shoshone River ; and 

the giant falls one day burst upon the vision 
127 


IN THE ROCKIES 


of the boys. The lava peaks rose in wild 
grandeur all about it ; the mighty rush of 
the water awed and amazed even the hardy 
spirits of the buckskinned adventurers. 

Along the Snake they trapped to the 
Bear ; and from there to the Green River 
once more. Here they encountered a 
trapper band which proved to be that of 
Sinclair, of whom Zeke had spoken. 

Captain Gaunt, said head trapper Sin- 
clair to Kit. Why, yes, Fve heard of him 
now and then since we got up into this 
country. He put in the winter on the 
Laramie River ; and if I^m not much mis- 
taken he’s now trapping somewhere in the 
South Park.” 

At once Kit sought out Mr. Fitzpatrick ; 
he told the adventurous Irishman as much 
as he saw fit of the hunt for Moccasin 
Williams and the desire of himself and the 
boys to hunt up Gaunt’s band without 
delay, now that it was located. 

« Why, then,” said the chief trapper, 
128 


WITH KIT CARSON 


go, and good luck to you. And it^s catch 
the thief of the world I hope you do. For 
the like of him is a bigger danger than the 
Blackfeet themselves.’^ 

Zeke Matthews and another seasoned 
adventurer named Gordon elected to follow 
Kit and his young friends in their journey 
to the South Park. 

“ The Fitzpatrick company are about 
through their trapping,” said the first of 
these veterans, and there’s no use taking 
a long ride back to Taos, only to turn about 
and make for the rivers again in a little 
while after. Gaunt’s going to stay ; he’ll 
cache his pelts until he’s put in a couple of 
seasons.” 

So the four, well armed, set out ; and 
without any notable adventures reached the 
trapping ground of Captain Gaunt. The 
latter was a hearty man past sixty, a true 
type of the Westerner of the time. He 
welcomed the visitors to his outfit with the 

utmost warmth. But when Kit spoke of 
129 


IN THE ROCKIES 

the object of their journey he frowned 
blackly. 

Moccasin Williams, do you say ? he 
almost shouted ; before he could con- 
tinue Kit laid a warning hand upon his 
arm. 

Not so loud,^^ said the young trapper ; 
he’ll hear you.” 

“ Well, if he does, he’s got mighty good 
ears,” said the downright Captain Gaunt. 
“ For he’s away somewhere in the hills with 
the redskins. And stole some of my best 
horses when he went.” 

For a moment Dave and Joe felt that the 
mountains had toppled over upon them ; 
they had counted so strongly upon the re- 
sult of coming up with this particular trap- 
ping expedition that the shock of disap- 
pointment was harder to bear than it had 
been at any other time. Gone I And they 
had possibly been within a few days’ journey 
of him frequently ; if they had known 
where Gaunt’s men were working they 
130 


WITH KIT CARSON 


could have set out for his camp while there 
was still hope of success. But now that 
was at an end. 

‘‘ We’ve got it to do all over again,” said 
Joe in a weary sort of way, for the long 
anxiety had told on him. 

Yes ; we must begin at the beginning,” 
admitted Dave. ** But,” and there was a 
flash in his eyes, we’ll And him for all 
that, and we’ll And the map too.” 

Kit and Captain Gaunt were conversing 
aside. 

I was warned against the fellow,” said 
the head trapper. They told me he wasn’t 
to be trusted.” Then with some curiosity 
in his voice, “ Anything particular you 
wanted of him ? ” 

A kind of private matter,” said Kit. 

Some sort of rascality. I’ll venture to 
say,” was the captain’s comment. 

Then the flve wanderers from Fitzpat- 
rick’s outfit held council together. Zeke 
and the other trapper, as has been noted, 

131 


IN THE ROCKIES 


intended to join Gaunt^s party from their 
start for the South Park ; and now Kit and 
the lads could see nothing but the same 
process for themselves. Gaunt was glad 
enough to secure them, as he had come out 
with fewer men than he intended, so the 
routine of camp and trap and rifle was 
taken up once more. 

They had been with Gaunt^s men for 
some time, ever on the outlook for news of 
a white man among the savages of the 
region, when one night a band of maraud- 
ers crept up to the camp. The guard was 
slack, perhaps; but that the night was a 
dark one was a certainty. At any rate the 
Indians managed to get among the horses 
without being detected ; and when dawn 
came, nine of the very best animals were 
missing. 

Zeke Matthews made the discovery, and 
his whoop startled the camp. 

‘Hnjuns,^^ stated he, pointing to the 
ground, where the signs were plentiful 
132 


WITH KIT CARSON 


enough. And they Ve driv’ off a lot of 
the bosses/^ 

From some articles of equipment lost by 
the savages, it was learned that they were 
Crows ; and their trail led broad and plain 
into the hills. Captain Gaunt surveyed his 
men. 

“ I want a party to take the trail, bring 
back the nags and show the thieves that 
there^s a punishment waiting for every one 
who doesn^t respect the law of the wilder- 
ness,” said he. Who will go ? ” 

Kit Carson stepped out from among the 
men ; the boys, who would have followed 
him anywhere, did the same ; in a moment 
there was a party of a dozen saddling 
their mustangs and making ready for the 
chase. 

We’ll hold this camp until you return,” 
said Gaunt. “ And bring back the horses.” 

Along the trail sped the twelve. Kit Car- 
son riding silently ahead, his eyes searching 
the ground. That the Crows were a rather 
133 


IN THE ROCKIES 


numerous party was evident from the hoof- 
prints of the ridden horses. 

They’re ten to one against us/’ said old 
Zeke, who was one of the pursuers and 
whose experienced eyes also searched the 
trail. “ But that ain’t of no account. A 
white man ought to be good for twice that 
many redskins, any day I ” 

After following the trail something like 
five miles it grew greatly confused. Dur- 
ing the night a huge herd of buffalo had 
crossed and recrossed it ; but the genius of 
the wilderness was strong in Kit Carson 
even at that early time ; in spite of every- 
thing he never failed to pick up the track 
each time it was lost. 

The foot of a horse is different from a 
buffalo’s,” said he, briefly, in answer to a 
question of Dave’s. “ And if you keep a 
sharp eye on the trail, you’ll see the print 
of a horse every now and then, even among 
all the buffalo tracks.” 

All day they rode at a good pace ; and by 

134 


WITH KIT CARSON 


late in the afternoon they had covered some 
forty miles. The horses were jaded, and if 
they were to be kept fit to continue the 
trail the next day they must be rested and 
fed. 

There was a clump of trees near by their 
halting place which seemed an excellent 
spot for a camp. 

“ We^ll take a rest here,^’ said Kit, and 
have a snack. The nags can pick up a lit- 
tle green stuff, too, maybe.^’ 

Winter had come again, and the horses, 
from lack of herbage upon which to feed, 
were in poor condition. There was a 
promise of soft boughs and young bark in 
the grove ; the trappers’ animals lived upon 
such fodder in the cold months, and the 
prospect made them as eager and restive for 
the camp as their riders. 

They were within a hundred yards of the 
timber when a sound caught their ears. 
There was a low command from Kit, and 
the trappers drew rein instantly. Again the 

135 


IN THE ROCKIES 

sound came to them, a sharp yelp as of an 
animal in pain. 

** A dog,'^ said Kit ; and on the other 
side of the timber.^^ 

The presence of a dog in the wilderness is 
a positive indication of the presence of man 
at no great distance. There was not one of 
the seasoned trappers but knew this ; and 
the minds of Dave and Joe seeing the effect 
upon their companion grasped the fact in- 
stantly. 

Redskins I said Kit Carson. “ Look 
there. 

Above the tree tops two towering columns 
of smoke were ascending ; that a camp of 
some size existed among or upon the oppo- 
site side of the trees the whites were now 
convinced. 

This way,^^ said Kit, as he turned his 
horse. Some little distance back, there was 
a rise in the ground ; behind this he remem- 
bered to have seen a clump of timber some- 
thing like that which had just been the ob- 
136 


( 



REDSKINS ? 


■’‘A- 




IN THE ROCKIES 


ject of their attention. Reaching the trees, 
they dismounted ; the horses were tied and 
then Kit said quietly : 

Boys, we don't know what's ahead of 
us ; so the best thing is to have a look over 
the ground before we make another move. 
I'm going across this bit of prairie and have 
a look at that camp over there. It may be 
the band we are after, or it may not be. In 
an hour you'll know. Anyhow, get your- 
selves ready for action, for we don't know 
what may be the outcome." 

He left them among the trees and ad- 
vanced toward the timber from which the 
smoke was still ascending. The prairie was 
a rolling one ; here and there cover was to 
be had ; and Kit cautiously advanced from 
place to place, his woodcraft making him 
invisible for the greater part of the time 
from the grove ahead. 

At length he reached the edge of the 
clump ; upon his hands and knees he crept 
forward, parting the undergrowth and low 
138 


WITH KIT CARSON 


hanging limbs that his body might slip 
noiselessly through. Finally he sighted the 
camp, and as he did so he settled down 
with a quick intake of the breath. 

Two large fires were burning; and at 
each was roasting a butchered horse. A 
company of painted savages, full armed 
and with the feathers of their war bonnets 
hanging down their backs, were grouped 
about. A couple of lodges, strengthened so 
as to be used as places of defense in case of 
need, were erected at one side ; a little dis- 
tance away were tethered the horses stolen 
from the camp of Captain Gaunt, minus the 
two roasting to provide a feast for the Crows. 

Usually keen to suspect the proximity of 
a foe, the Indians now displayed surprising 
laxity. Perhaps the great distance they 
had put between themselves and the trap- 
pers was the cause of this ; they thought 
themselves beyond the reach of pursuit, 
and so were giving themselves up to the 
enjoyment of their enterprise. 

139 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Kit watched them for some time ; then 
as the shadows began to thicken, he crept 
away across the stretch of prairie to the 
place where he had left his friends. 

“ It^s the party we are after, said he. 

I saw the horses. The reds are making 
preparations for a big feast, and haven’t 
any thought of danger.” 

“ Feasting, eh ? ” said old Zeke. ‘‘ Well, 
boys, it seems to me we ought to have a 
little to say in these festivities. Captain 
Gaunt reckons on a trifle of powder being 
burned by way of protest against horse- 
stealing in general, and it’s as little as we 
can do to go according to his will.” 

At nightfall the sound of barbaric song 
came across the prairie ; and as the trappers 
stole toward the Indian camp they saw the 
red glow of the fires, and through the trees 
the swaying, contorting forms of the war- 
riors going through a savage dance of 
triumph. 

The Indians had come from the north 
140 


WITH KIT CARSON 


with their booty of horse-flesh, and from 
the north alone they looked for pursuit; 
the trappers knew that this would be the 
case, so they took care to approach the 
camp from another side. When close enough 
to see all that went on at the camp-fires of 
the Crows, they crouched down in shel- 
tered places and waited for the end of the 
feast. 

It was a cold night, and there was some 
snow upon the ground. And as they waited 
the whites grew chilled and stiff ; their 
limbs quaked and their teeth chattered. 
But when the braves had finally eaten 
their fill and danced themselves tired they 
laid themselves down to sleep ; and soon a 
torpor overtook the camp. 

This was the time for which the trappers 
had been waiting ; Kit, with five others, 
slipped away to the place where the horses 
were grouped, freed, and drove them away. 
Some little distance away the remainder of 

the party joined them ; then a council in 
141 


IN THE ROCKIES 


low pitched voices was held as to what was 
the next step. 

We’ve got our horses,” counseled one 
of the men. The redskins are a pretty 
powerful band and we’re a long way from 
support. So it’s my opinion that we ought 
to be satisfied with our good luck and start 
back for camp right away.” 

A number of the others agreed to this ; 
but Kit Carson said : 

The thieves should be punished. 
Another thing, our nags are pretty well 
done up and we’ll have to go slowly. Our 
trail will show the Crows that there’s only 
a few of us ; and they’ll pursue us. In a 
thing like this there’s a big chance against 
us ; so if we can, we had better shift things 
around in our favor.” 

How’s that to be done ? ” asked the 
trapper who had favored letting well enough 
alone. 

We have them now just where an 

attack would scare them most. Let us 
142 


WITH KIT CARSON 


throw a volley into their camp and charge 
them ; they’ll start running then, and the 
chances are we’ll have nothing more to 
fear,” 

Them words is words of wisdom I ” de- 
clared Zeke Matthews, slapping the butt of 
his rifle emphatically. Strike hard now 
and we needn’t be afraid later.” 

The trappers, an adventurous lot by 
nature, at once fell in with the idea. They 
looked to their weapons carefully ; then 
with steps trained to softness, they stole 
upon the Crow camp. 

The fires had been allowed to die some- 
what ; the plumed head of a lonely guard 
nodded at the edge of the firelight ; the 
sleeping warriors, laden with food, never 
stirred. 

Then suddenly a lean dog arose ; his ill 
shaped head lifted, and he began to sniff, 
suspicion in every hair. Then he sprang 
forward, barking loudly to arouse his 
savage masters. Trained to awake at 

143 


IN THE ROCKIES 


such an alarm, some of the 
sprang up ; and as they did so 
rifles of the trappers lifted, and 
went whistling into the camp. 


Indians 
the long 
a volley 


144 


CHAPTER X 


A DESPERATE EXPERIENCE WITH GRIZZLIES 

As the bullets of the trappers sang their 
way into the Crow encampment, the war- 
riors began to fall ; the whites stationed 
themselves behind trees and reloaded ; and 
while they were doing so the savages sought 
the cover of the two fortified lodges which 
they had erected. From this shelter the 
arrows began to dart ; but the thick tree 
trunks protected the trappers from their 
barbed heads. 

At early dawn the Indians saw how few 
in number the whites were ; at once they 
poured forth, with tomahawk, war club 
and scalping knife, to crush them. But 
at a discharge of the rifles five of the band 
dropped in their tracks ; the others fled 
into the forts once more. 

145 


IN THE ROCKIES 


I guess that’s about all we’ll hear of 
them,” said old Zeke, as he rammed a fresh 
charge of powder home and topped it with 
a bullet. “ They ain’t got the stomachs for 
such work as that.” 

“ Hold your places,” ordered Kit Carson ; 
“ they will attack again.” 

A very little while proved that he was 
right, and Zeke, veteran though he was in 
Indian warfare, was wrong. Out of the 
strongholds rushed the Crows, and with 
yells of fury charged the hunters. So 
fierce was their attack that the white men 
were forced to fall back ; but the deadly 
rifies continued to ring through the dawn 
and savage after savage fell before them. 
Three trappers had been left with the 
horses ; these, hearing the continuous fire, 
now joined their comrades. The additional 
rifles were more than the redskins could 
stand ; completely defeated, they drew off. 
The trappers did not wait for them to 

ponder the situation, but fell back to their 
146 


WITH KIT CARSON 


horses ; mounting in haste and leading the 
recaptured animals they headed for the 
Arkansas River, where the camp of Captain 
Gaunt was then located. 

For some time longer Kit and the boys 
remained with the Gaunt expedition ; then, 
as nothing seemed to develop in the matter 
of Moccasin Williams, and as the fur taking 
had grown poor, the three made up their 
minds to a desperate venture. This was 
nothing less than to leave the company of 
trappers and make their way back to Taos. 

“ It^s a dangerous journey,” said Captain 
Gaunt ; but if your minds are made up, 
go ahead. You are under no obligations to 
me.” 

By great good fortune along the whole 
of the long route through the wilderness 
they did not sight a single Indian. Now 
and then they came upon a cold encamp- 
ment and other signs of the red man’s 
presence ; but never a plume of the war- 
rior himself. 


147 


IN THE ROCKIES 


On the way they trapped and had rare 
good fortune; when they reached Taos 
they had a rich taking of beaver pelts 
which just then were in great demand and 
consequently high in price. At once their 
inquiries were put afoot as to Moccasin 
Williams ; neither of the lads had ever seen 
the man, but Kit Carson^s description of 
him was so complete and they bore it so 
thoroughly in mind that they were con- 
fident that they would know him if they 
ever met with him. 

But the result was the same as before. 
Old Diaz, whom they visited, shook his 
head and tugged at his goat’s beard sorrow- 
fully. 

‘‘ I have never laid eyes on him, sefiof,” 
said he. Not once since you were here 
last. And not once have I seen Lopez either 
since that day. He is away, there,” one 
trembling hand indicating the north, 
‘^away among the Crows and Blackfeet 

searching for the Americano, Williams.” 

148 


WITH KIT CARSON 


After a week in Taos, Joe grew restless. 
He had heard of an expedition, much like 
that of Young’s, which was to head secretly 
for California. 

It’s been two years since we saw my 
father,” he said to Dave. “ And it’s been 
almost as long since we wrote to him. Let 
us go out with this party ; after we see him, 
and if he is willing, we will come back and 
take up the trail once more.” 

Seeing how Joe felt in the matter, Dave 
gave a ready consent ; they spoke to Kit, 
and though the trapper was sorry to lose 
them, he saw that this was the right thing 
for them to do. 

Maybe,” said he, as he clasped their 
hands at parting, “ you’ll be back just as 
you say. And maybe again you won’t, for 
you might find Williams among the mis- 
sions up there where you’re going, looking 
for that river of gold that old Goat Beard 
talked about. But, however it turns out, 

don’t forget that I’ve got to care a good bit 
149 


IN THE ROCKIES 


about you two boys ; and I'm only sorry 
that I couldn't do something for you that'd 
help you to get what you're after." 

And so the lads went off on another 
journey through mountain, plain and 
desert. 

Shortly after this, Kit joined a fur 
hunting expedition sent out by the cele- 
brated firm of Bent & St. Vrain, under 
the leadership of Captain Lee, once of the 
United States Army. Later he spent some 
time on the Laramie River with old Zeke 
Matthews and two other men, the venture 
being one of his own. It was returning 
with this that Kit met with the most des- 
perate adventure that he had taken part in 
up till that time. 

The party had gone into camp one after- 
noon, and being short of meat. Kit took his 
rifle and started out to look for game. A 
mile from camp he came upon elk signs ; he 
followed their tracks until he came in sight 

of them feeding upon a hillside. Craftily 
150 


WITH KIT CARSON 


he advanced upon them ; but fine as was his 
skill the elk got scent of him, tossed their 
antlered heads and broke into a run. Up 
went the never failing rifle, and a noble 
buck dropped upon the brow of the hill. 

A lucky shot,^^ spoke the trapper, as he 
stood with the empty rifle smoking in his 
hands, his eyes upon the fallen buck. But 
hardly had he spoken the words when he 
heard a most terrific series of roars ; like 
lightning he turned and saw a pair of 
enormous grizzly bears, their eyes red with 
rage, and their cruel teeth gleaming, charg- 
ing down upon him. 

There was no time to think out a plan of 
defense ; the grizzly is an immense brute, 
weighing more than a thousand pounds, 
and often swift enough^ to outrun a horse. 
So Kit dropped his empty rifle, turned 
about and ran. 

The great beasts came lumbering after 
him, to all appearances awkward and slow, 
but in reality with astonishing swiftness. 

151 


IN THE ROCKIES 


% Kit knew their speed, having had previous 

experience with them, though none so des- 
perate as this ; and he knew that in a few 
moments, at most, he would be overtaken. 

As he ran his eyes went here and there 
for a place of safety ; then, straight ahead, 
he saw a tree, the branches of which were 
fairly low. As he came under it, he grasped 
a limb and with a mighty pull swung him- 
self upward, a blow from the foremost 
grizzly barely missing him. 

The tree had been the only thing the hard- 
pressed trapper could think of ; and no 
sooner had he gotten settled in a branch 
than he realized that he was in a sort of 
trap. Bears are noted climbers ; even the 
enormous grizzlies can ascend trees with 
ease. 

Yes,’^ muttered Kit, as this came to him, 
** and they'll be after me like a couple of 
tornadoes in a few minutes. So I'd better 
find something or some way of defending 
myself." 


152 


WITH KIT CARSON 


He still retained his heavy hunting knife, 
but though the blade was broad and keen 
he knew that it would be but poor weapon 
with which to meet the attack of such brutes 
as the two growling and staring up at him 
from below. 

But still, the knife would be useful, for 
all. He drew it from its sheath, and began 
cutting furiousl}^ at a thick, short branch 
which grew at his hand ; this was soon 
trimmed, and as he balanced the heavy 
club which it made, he said with satis- 
faction : 

Here^s something, anyhow ! I’ll not 
have to meet them empty handed. So, 
come on, my lads, I’m ready for you.” 

The bears needed no invitation, however ; 
they had been measuring the situation from 
their places beneath the tree ; and one of 
them had risen upon his hind legs, dug 
his great claws into the trunk and begun to 
climb upward. 

The foremost part of a bear, in climbing 

153 


IN THE ROCKIES 


a tree, is his nose ; and the noses of most 
animals are very tender and easily hurt. 
The grizzly bear’s is no exception. So as the 
climber came within reach, Kit swung his 
club; the blow landed fair and true, the 
bear yelled with pain, and slipped back to 
the ground. But the other stood ready to 
take his place ; Kit cleared away the small 
boughs which might entangle his weapon 
and so interfere with his stroke. Once 
more the heavy club swished downward, 
and again it landed upon an eager, uplifted 
snout. There was another roar, and the 
second bear slid to the ground. They stood 
together, and glared at the trapper, their 
roars and shrieks making the lonely moun- 
tains ring. Then, their pain easing some- 
what, they attacked once more. Again and 
again the club struck the tender, bleeding 
snouts, again and again the bears roared in 
agony and fell back. 

At length they lost heart in the matter 
and sat watching him sullenly and pawing 

154 


WITH KIT CARSON 


their noses ; but as he made no move to 
come down, they finally gave up the vigil 
just as the long shadow of night began to 
fall ; and with many looks over their 
shoulders they lumbered away into the 
woods. 

Kit waited for a space ; then he slid down 
the trunk of the tree and ran softly and 
swiftly toward the spot where he had 
dropped his rifie. The piece was still un- 
harmed ; and the trapper reloaded it and 
stood listening. From the depths of the 
forest came the sound of the bears crushing 
through the underbrush ; then this died 
away in the distance and all was still. 


155 


CHAPTER XI 


THE BULLY OF THE TRADING CAMP 

After making sure that the bears were 
not returning, Kit Carson shouldered his 
rifle and made his way back to camp through 
the gathering dusk. It was dark when he 
reached there, and this made it unadvisable 
to take a packhorse after the carcass of the 
elk ; so the trappers had to be content with 
rather short commons until the next day, 
when their rifles came into play and meat 
was had for the larder. 

Joined by a trapping party under Bridger, 
Kit went to the rendezvous of the Rocky 
Mountain trappers on Green River. There 
were about two hundred men in this big 
camp, which was for the purpose of selling 
their furs and buying supplies. The trad- 
ing being done, Kit joined a trapping com- 
156 


WITH KIT CARSON 


pany journeying into the Blackfoot country 
at the head of the Missouri River. But the 
redskins made such determined and per- 
sistent attacks that the party was forced to 
retire from their country. 

They fell back to the Big Snake River, 
where they wintered. But the Blackfeet 
still held the trail ; in a desperate battle 
with this dangerous tribe Kit was seriously 
wounded in saving the life of a comrade 
named Markhead ; in this fight the savages 
received a terrible beating. 

The spring season was a most fortunate 
one; beaver was very plentiful and their 
taking of the fur was rich. Kit^s wound 
got well rapidly, thanks to his strong con- 
stitution, and he was soon able to set his 
traps with the rest of them. 

The long journeys through the wilder- 
ness to Taos and Santa F6 were too great a 
strain upon both horses and men ; the dan- 
gers of the journey were too grave to be 
undertaken several times a year ; and so the 

157 


IN THE ROCKIES 


big trading camp on Green River grew very 
popular with the trappers. So, the season 
being over, the different companies all 
headed toward this station ; the one which 
Kit Carson was with among them. 

As the ponies pranced along the long 
street of the camp, and the pack animals 
moved more soberly under their burden of 
furs, the bronzed trappers waved their 
coonskin caps and shouted joyously to 
friends whom they recognized by the way. 
This great fair of the Rocky Mountain 
trappers occupied quite a beautiful site ; 
circling it were the giant hills, crowned 
with mighty forests ; the huts of the trap- 
pers and traders were built among the trees ; 
some were after the fashion of Indian 
lodges, others were of bark and poles and 
sod. But the traders had structures of 
hewn logs to hold their stores. 

Kit rode through the camp, speaking to 
his friends among those who came forward 

to greet the newcomers. He was dismount- 
158 


WITH KIT CARSON 


ing when there came a rush of feet and he 
was seized by two pairs of strong arms. 
Two enthusiastic voices cried, joyfully : 

Here you are, at last ! 

WeVe been waiting for you a whole 
month I 

I knew you'd come. Kit I " 

We're back again ; and we've got 
news ! " 

The young trapper wriggled out of the 
clutch of his assailants ; and one look 
showed him that they were Dave Johnson 
and Joe Frazier. 

Gripping their hands in welcome, he 
cried : 

Why, lads, this is a surprise, sure 
enough I I never expected to see you so 
soon." 

We came back with the same party we 
went out with," said Dave. “ We heard at 
Taos that you were out in this region and 
that you would probably put in the summer 
at this trading camp. So there was a 

159 


IN THE ROCKIES 


chance with a trader helping with the 
packhorses, and we jumped at it.’^ 

How did you find your father ? asked 
Kit of Joe. 

I never saw him looking better/^ replied 
the boy. ‘‘But come over to our place ; 
weVe got a shanty big enough for the three 
of us. And hurry I We left a pair of 
prairie chickens roasting over the fire ; and 
weVe to have flap-jacks and coffee. 

Dave hurried to their hut, which was in a 
shaded place on the edge of the camp, to 
see to the chickens ; Joe and the trapper 
followed at a slower pace. The two lads 
helped to unsaddle the mustang, and Joe 
picketed him where the grass was rich and 
thick. Then they all sat down and watched 
the fowls brown on the spit and the coffee- 
pot send up its jet of steam. 

“ Your father wasnT against your leaving 
him again, then ? said Kit. 

“ Father has gone back home,^' said Joe. 

Then seeing the trapper’s astonishment, he 
i6o 


WITH KIT CARSON 


added : You see, while he was at San 

Gabriel he learned quite a lot of things. 
One of them was that even if we did re- 
cover the map and find the place it indi- 
cated, we'd hardly be permitted to wash the 
gold. The Mexican government and popu- 
lation are afraid that the Americans will 
some day overrun California ; and so they 
do everything they can to discourage them, 
hoping to keep them away. So father 
thought there was no use remaining and 
neglecting his business at home." 

But how does it come that you two 
were left behind? " asked Kit. 

‘‘ Well," laughed Dave, we objected to 
going back so strongly and made such a 
general fuss that uncle made up his mind 
that he'd let us have another try. He took 
an American ship which sailed from San 
Francisco and will land him in New York. 
If we have no success, we are to follow next 
season." 

I see," said Kit. There was a pause, 

i6i 


IN THE ROCKIES 


then he asked : But the news you spoke 
of? What is it? Did you find something 
out, among the missions ? ” 

‘‘ Not a word,” said Dave, “ and we spent 
a couple of months prowling around among 
them. But,” and here he lowered his 
voice, on our way here with the trading 
party we stumbled upon something — as 
real a piece of news as you could wish 
for.” 

Good,” said Kit, his gray eyes snap- 
ping, and what is it ? ” 

There was a French Canadian named 
Shunan with the train, a big man, very 
quarrelsome and ready with his weapons.” 

I know him,” nodded Kit. He’s a 
trapper, and,” in a puzzled tone, I don’t 
see what he was doing with the traders.” 

“ He was making for this fair,” said Joe. 

He had been to the settlements on a sort 
of mission.” 

** A mission ! ” said Kit. 

Both boys nodded. 

162 


WITH KIT CARSON 


** He’s quite loose with his tongue,” said 
Dave, and we got the whole thing, bit by 
bit, at night by the fire. He’d talk to the 
men, you see, boasting of what he’s done 
and meant to do. He’d been sent in to 
Santa Fe to look about and ask questions. 
The person who sent him was away in the 
Blackfoot country, afraid to venture into 
civilization himself.” 

Instantly Kit Carson’s quick mind 
grasped the situation. 

Moccasin Williams I ” he cried. 

Right I And the person he was inquir- 
ing about was Lopez, the half-breed.” 

Asking if he was in Santa F6, or in the 
region round about ? ” 

** Yes ; and he found, as we did, that the 
half-breed was away north, also in the 
Blackfoot country. This seemed to amuse 
him. Williams feared to go back to Taos 
or Santa F6 ; he feared to go to California ; 
for there he might meet Lopez.” 

According to what the Frenchman said, 

163 


IN THE ROCKIES 

Williams is in mortal dread of the knife of 
the man he robbed/^ said Joe. 

And instead of being safe in the place 
he selected for hiding, he is really in great 
danger, with Lopez searching for him, as 
Shunan heard, from one Indian village to 
another. It would have been much better 
if he had returned, or had gone to Cali- 
fornia.’’ 

‘‘ Much better for him, perhaps,^’ said 
Kit, grimly. Then his expression changed 
and he added : Well, it’s good news 
enough, lads ; and we’ll see what can be 
done with it. The map is still in the 
hands of Williams ; if it were not he’d not 
be so anxious to get to California. And so, 
if nothing else, it shows us that we still 
have him to look for. You were in luck 

t 

to meet this man, Shunan.” 

At this the trapper noted the faces of the 
boys change in expression. 

I don’t just know about that,” said 
Dave. 


WITH KIT CARSON 


“ We were lucky, in a way,’^ admitted 
Joe ; ‘‘ but in another way we were not so 
much so.” 

“ Something's happened,” said Kit. 

Dave and Joe nodded. 

Somehow,” said the former, '' Shunan 
got to know of our interest in what he said 
in his boasting. It may be that he had 
heard of us, and, now that we’d got his 
attention, he’d placed us for the first time. 
Ever since then he’s been trying to get up 
some sort of a quarrel with us.” 

“ Ah ! ” said Kit Carson. 

He sat looking at the boys steadfastly ; 
and they saw a dangerous, narrowing light 
in his gray eyes. 

“ I know Shunan,” said he. I’ve known 
him for some time ; and as you said when 
you first mentioned him, he’s quarrelsome 
and ready with his weapons. For him to 
try and pick a fight with a man means only 
one thing — and that’s a deadly one.” 

The prairie chickens were done, the flap- 
165 


IN THE ROCKIES 


jacks nicely browned and the coffee piping 
hot when old Zeke Matthews came along. 
Immediately the boys sprang up and 
greeted him ; he was invited to join them 
and did so with alacrity. 

Roasted birds we get out in the trap- 
ping country/' said he. But flap-jacks 
seldom, coffee seldomer, and coffee with 
reg’lar sugar in it, never at all." 

And as Zeke ate of these delicacies. Kit 
told him of Shunan's desire to quarrel with 
the boys, though he did not mention the 
reason for it. The veteran was indignant. 

What I " demanded he. Can’t he And 
no one but a passel of youngsters to fight 
with. Well, all I got to say is, let him 
look out for himself! ’’ 

Released from the restraint of the wilder- 
ness where they were ever on the lookout 
for attacks of savage beasts or savage men, 
the trappers relaxed ; the trading camp was 
a hubbub of sounds. Songs, the squeak of 

a fiddle, blustering talk and high pitched 
1 66 


WITH KIT CARSON 


contention grew constant as each night 
passed and the day began. 

During one afternoon there was a tur- 
moil at one end of the camp, a clash of fists 
and the sight of bloody faces. Later there 
was still another outbreak of the same sort. 
Then little by little the thing increased un- 
til the camp roared steadily with strife. 

It^s all Shunan,” said a trader to old 
Zeke. Fellows like that make more 
trouble than a tribe of thieving Indians.^^ 
Once or twice during the day Kit Carson 
caught sight of Shunan. He was a burly 
fellow with the air of a bravo ; his face was 
flushed and his eyes gleamed with menace. 

A wolf,’^ said Kit to the boys. So, to 
avoid trouble and keep the peace, lay low. 
If you can avoid it, donT let him see you.^^ 
Both Dave Johnson and Joe Frazier were 
naturally boys of spirit ; and their two years 
in the wilderness with the trappers had 
given them a confidence in themselves 

which they might not have had otherwise. 

167 


IN THE ROCKIES 


So the idea of concealment, of practically 
hiding from a bully, was galling to them. 

Kit saw this and said : 

‘‘ Your keeping out of his way won^t be a 
mark against you boys. Nobody'll think 
the worse of you for it, for more seasoned 
men than either of you will be for many 
years are dodging this man just now. So 
take my advice. Lay low. I don't think 
it will make any real difference in the end," 
as an afterthought, “for if he wants to 
force trouble on you, he will. But, when 
the time comes, you'll have the satisfaction 
of knowing that it's not your fault." 

The lads acted upon this suggestion ; and 
the result was that some time went by with- 
out the bully encountering them. But his 
purpose was plain enough ; frequently he 
came to that part of the camp where the 
boys' hut was located, and his remarks when 
any one happened to be in the vicinity 
were brutal and offensive. Kit Carson, 

Zeke Matthews and some others had erected 
1 68 


WITH KIT CARSON 


lodges near that of the lads ; and they fre- 
quently listened to the bully’s boasts and 
threats and insults without a sign. 

But finally the thing grew unbearable. 

Human nature,” said the veteran, Zeke, 
can’t stand no more. He’s getting worse. 
He thinks we’re afraid of him. Let him 
talk like that just once more, and my rifie’ll 
answer him.” 

At length the day came which brought 
the climax. The bully had kept the camp 
in hot water all morning ; he had engaged 
in a half dozen fights with men weaker than 
himself, and beaten them ; and so he came, 
roaring like a mountain bear, toward the 
spot where Kit sat with his friends. As it 
happened the two lads were in the party. 
Both looked up at the Frenchman from 
where they lay stretched upon the ground ; 
and neither made an attempt to avoid him. 

He had grown accustomed to their dodg- 
ing him ; and now that they failed to move 

it seemed to infiame him more than ever. 

169 


IN THE ROCKIES 


It’s a camp full of coyotes,” announced 
he, squaring himself before them all. 

Every one runs when a man comes along.” 

There was an ominous silence on the part 
of the trappers ; and he proceeded : 

Did you hear me speak? ” he demanded. 

Did you hear me mention coyotes ? 
Where’s the Indian fighters that I’ve heard 
about? Where are they? Did they ever 
fight a white man? Well, here’s their 
chance, if they’ve got the stomachs to take 
it up. Here’s a man that’s willing to give 
them a chance to make a reputation.” 

The silence of the group was still un- 
broken and the bully’s sneering look ran 
around the circle. 

“All Americans, eh ? Every one an Amer- 
ican ! Well, I’ve beaten all the French- 
men in the camp ; and as for the Amer- 
icans, I’ll cut a stick some day and switch 
them around their own lodges.” 

Again his sneering glance went over 

them ; then he shrugged his huge shoulders 
170 


WITH KIT CARSON 


contemptuously, turned and started away. 
But he had gone hardly half a dozen steps 
when a voice called sharply : 

“ Shunan 1 

The man halted and wheeled. Kit 
Carson stood facing him. The difference in 
the two was very great. The Frenchman 
was a Hercules ; a towering man, with a 
great chest and massive limbs; the Ameri- 
can trapper was small and quiet in manner 
and seemed in no way a match for him. 

But Kit Carson was never a man to stand 
back because the odds were not in his favor ; 
so he advanced toward the camp bully. 

“ Shunan,’' said he, coolly, his gray eyes 
fixed steadfastly upon the man before him, 
‘‘we’ve all listened to you talk for some 
time ; and we’ve said nothing. There are 
twenty men in this camp who could beat you 
in any kind of fighting you could name. 
But they are not trouble seekers ; and so 
they’ve stood back. Now, I consider my- 
self the least among them ; and being such 
171 


IN THE ROCKIES 


I take it on myself to say that we are all 
tired of you and your bullying. And, fur- 
ther, I want to say that you will, from this 
time on, stop your threats, or I’ll shoot you.” 

For a moment the Frenchman stood star- 
ing at the speaker, his eyes glowing with 
fury ; then he turned again without a word 
toward his own quarters. 

Gone for his gun,” said old Zeke. 

And from his looks he means business.” 

The group of trappers broke up immedi- 
ately ; sharp action was in the air, and to 
meet this their experience told them to be 
prepared. But, seeing, from their faces, 
what they meant to do. Kit shook his head 
negatively. 

This is my affair, boys,” he said. So 
I must ask you all to stand aside while I 
go through with it.” 

But he’s got friends in camp,” protested 
old Zeke. They’ll all be out to see him 
through.” 

If they interfere,” said Kit, then I 
172 


WITH KIT CARSON 


rely on you to see me through. But I don^t 
think they will. Shunan has had the run 
of this camp too long to think he needs 
help in a little matter like this. It’ll be a 
matter of pride with him ; and you’ll see, 
he’ll handle it alone.” 

Like lightning the news of the impend- 
ing conflict ran through the camp. The 
trappers and traders carefully drew out of 
what they thought would be the line of fire, 
or placed themselves behind trees or the 
heavy log houses. 

The boys went after Kit and found him 
tightening his saddle-girth, a little distance 
from his lodge. 

By all rights,” said Dave Johnson, 
this fight should be mine or Joe’s. We 
brought the man down this way ; he was 
always looking for us when he came. And 
now that trouble has come of it, I don’t see 
why you should shoulder it.” 

Kit slapped him on the back and 
laughed. 


173 


IN THE ROCKIES 


The whole thing is a public one/^ said 
he. The man has come to be a nuisance 
and a danger, and so a stop of some sort 
must be put to him. We have no law in 
the wilderness, nor law officers. But we 
know what we want, and somebody always 
comes forward to put a thing right. In 
this case it is Kit Carson.’^ 

Having saddled his pony to his satisfac- 
tion, he took out a heavy dragoon pistol 
and looked at its priming with much care. 
This he placed in his belt, then swung him- 
self into the saddle. And as Kit rode out 
from the line of the lodges, the sound of 
hoofs came to him. His quick eye turned 
in the direction of the sound ; and he saw 
the Frenchman mounted on a powerful 
horse, a rifle in his hands, riding toward 
him. 


174 


CHAPTER XII 


LOPEZ KIDES INTO CAMP 

It is written boldly in the records of the 
great west that Kit Carson was a man with- 
out fear ; and never before did he show this 
fact as he did when he turned his horse^s 
head and rode toward the Frenchman, 
Shunan. His pony went at a slow, swing- 
ing lope ; Kit sat him as quietly as though 
he were on his way to try a shot at a flock 
of prairie chickens, and there was no enemy 
on that side of the range. 

And the bully was in no way backward. 
But his bluster was gone ; all the cunning 
in his nature was called upon to aid him in 
the crisis. His horse advanced at a swift 
pace ; and the heads of the two steeds 
almost touched when their riders drew 
rein. 

175 


IN THE ROCKIES 

Shunan/' said Kit, “ am I the man 
you’re looking for ? ” 

The eyes of the bully shifted under the 
steady gaze of the American. 

No,” said he. 

Then almost instantly the muzzle of his 
rifle lifted and covered Kit. But quick as 
was his action, Kit’s was quicker. The 
dragoon pistol flashed, and its heavy bullet 
struck Shunan in the arm, shattering the 
bone ; the man’s weapon exploded a second 
after the trapper’s ; and its missile grazed 
Kit’s scalp ; then it fell to the ground, and 
the man’s horse, unchecked, turned and 
dashed away. 

Calmly Kit rode back to where he had 
left his friends. 

“ He meant to kill you,” stated old Zeke. 
“ I saw the way he threw up his rifle barrel 
that nothing else would please him.” 

And that the American trapper, lightning 
quick and of deadly aim, only shot to dis- 
able his foe was evident to all ; had he so 
176 


WITH KIT CARSON 


desired, Shunan would have dropped from 
his saddle never to rise again. 

Peace in camp is all we want,” said 
Kit, quietly. And I think as far as 
Shunan’s concerned we^ll have it in the 
future.” 

There was no expedition going that fall 
into the Blackfoot country ; but one was 
organizing for a trading trip in that 
direction. 

“ We^ll join that,” said Kit. 

“ But,” said Joe, we'll be taking you 
away from work that will be profitable.” 

‘‘ This matter of the map has me on my 
mettle,” said Kit. ‘‘ I'm going to see it 
through now, no matter how long it takes.” 

They accordingly went out with the 
traders as far as the Big Snake River. Here 
they met a Hudson Bay trader named 
McCoy who had about abandoned his opera- 
tions because of ill luck, and was about to 
take up a trapping venture. They joined 

him, thinking to get finally into the region 
177 


IN THE ROCKIES 


they desired. But after a series of adven- 
tures, one of which saw them on the verge of 
starvation in a journey to Fort Hall, they 
were forced back to the Green River once 
more to await another season. 

“ It's the last try," said Dave, soberly. 

If we don't get up into that country this 
time we'll have to give it up." 

That's what I promised dad in the letter 
I sent off to him yesterday," said Joe. 
“ One more attempt ; and if we fail, we go 
home." 

As the fall grew near there was much 
talk of expeditions into the far regions ; 
the near-by streams had been trapped so 
long that the beaver had become very 
scarce ; and if success were desired the 
hunters must seek new waters. 

And in the midst of this. Kit one even- 
ing came to the lodge which the boys had 
erected. There was a gleam in his eye 
which told them that something of a pleas- 
ing sort had happened. 

178 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Well,” said he, it looks at last as 
though we were going to have a chance. 
An expedition, one hundred strong, is to go 
as far as the Yellowstone.” 

And do we go with them ? ” asked 
Dave, leaping up in his excitement. 

We do.” 

Both boys swung their caps in the air 
and leaped about in a series of acrobatic 
antics. But Kit sobered them in a moment. 

Not only do we go,” said he, “ but 
Shunan goes also.” 

“ Ah ! ” said Dave ; and he sat down in 
the door of the lodge. 

That means something, I should say,” 
said Joe. 

All last season he was laid up with a 
maimed arm,” said Kit ; and now, as soon 
as he^s able, he engages for the Blackfoot 
region. I know he^s specially set on going 
there, because he refused a number of offers 
to go out with parties who are to head in 
other directions.” 


179 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Shunan was a very much changed man ; 
his manner was subdued, and he gave little 
or no trouble to the camp. Kit Carson he 
treated with much respect, and the boys he 
was careful not to molest. One day, how- 
ever, shortly before the big expedition was 
to start, he met them in the camp street. 

‘‘ I hear you’re going up north,” said he. 

“ Yes,” said Joe. We thought it might 
be a useful trip — and maybe profitable.” 

Shunan looked at them with something 
like his old ferocity. 

Take my advice and go somewhere 
else,” said he, slowly. “ It will be a dan- 
gerous journey for people looking for any- 
thing but beaver fur.” 

He was about to pass on, but Dave John- 
son placed himself in his path. 

What do you mean by that ? ” said he. 

“ Just what I say,” replied the man. 

Nothing more and nothing less.” 

Then he passed on, never giving them 
another glance ; and when the boys found 
i8o 


WITH KIT CARSON 


themselves at their lodge that night with 
Kit Carson, they mentioned the matter. 
The trapper seemed pleased. 

“ I think, said he, “ that that proves 
he’s going to carry news to his friend. 
Moccasin Williams. Anyway, it shows 
that he expects to meet him, and doesn’t 
want any one in the party who has a 
knowledge of his errand.” 

The chief trapper of the big expedition 
into the Blackfoot country was named 
Fontenelle ; he was an experienced woods- 
man, and of a very determined character. 
With the packhorses loaded and the trap- 
pers mounted upon their mustangs, he ad- 
dressed them. 

“Every time we’ve gone into the region 
round about the head waters of the Mis- 
souri,” said he, “ we’ve been attacked, our 
horses have been stolen, our traps taken, 
our men killed ; and in almost every case 
it has ended in our being driven out.” 

A murmur went up from the men. The 

i8i 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Blackfeet were a hardy and warlike people 
who claimed a vast extent of country as 
their hunting ground. The tribe was at 
that time some thirty thousand strong and 
counted the finest of the many races of 
American Indians. As hunters they were 
unexcelled ; their marksmanship was 
deadly ; and as riders and horse breakers 
they were only led by the Comanches. 

This time they^ll not drive us back/^ 
said old Zeke Matthews, who had engaged 
to go out with Fontenelle. He slapped 
the stock of his long rifie as he spoke. 

It’s our turn now ; and we’ll make the 
red thieves run.” 

It is doubtful if any such band of trap- 
pers ever left the Green River before ; they 
were hardy, seasoned mountaineers, inured 
to the wild life of the Rockies, expert in 
the craft of beaver taking, and accom- 
plished in Indian warfare. 

Straight on they pushed through the 

wilderness, day after day. In the country 
182 


WITH KIT CARSON 


of the Crows they met with friendly greet- 
ings ; perhaps it was the unusual size of the 
party, and perhaps it was because it was 
headed for the hunting grounds of the 
Blackfeet — for years the deadly foes of the 
Crows. On the Yellowstone, which was 
in the heart of the Blackfoot region, they 
set about the serious business of taking 
fur. The company was divided — fifty men 
to attend the traps and fifty to guard the 
camp. The men lived with their rifles in 
their hands. As Zeke Matthews put it : 

The cook turns the meat on the spit 
with one hand and has a loaded pistol in 
the other. 

Fontenelle was constantly urging the men 
not to relax. 

We can hold our own with them,^^ said 
he. But we must not let them surprise 
us. Keep your eyes peeled ; don’t overlook 
a sign.” 

Kit Carson and his two boy friends 
needed no urging. And they not only 
183 


IN THE ROCKIES 


watched for Blackfeet ; they kept an eye 
upon the movements of Shunan as well. 
However, it was impossible to watch the 
man at all times ; now and then he'd be 
out of their sight for hours at a time. 

One night after supper Kit drew the boys 
aside. From beneath his hunting shirt he 
drew a small, pointed stick, notched here 
and there in a peculiar manner. 

What is it? ” asked Dave. 

As we left the last line of traps this 
afternoon," said Kit, “ I saw Shunan lag 
behind and then drop back among some 
trees. There were six of us ; but I said 
nothing to the others. A little later, after 
Shunan rejoined us, I made believe I'd 
sighted a small buck and started off, away 
from the river. When I got out of sight, 
I changed my course, heading back toward 
the place where I'd seen Shunan disappear. 
Hunting around, I saw Indian signs in 
plenty ; and then I saw this," holding up 

the wand, sticking in the ground." 

184 


WITH KIT CARSON 


A message I said both boys in a breath. 

Kit nodded. 

Yes ; and Til venture there was one 
waiting for him from Williams or the red- 
skins.’^ 

After this they kept a stricter watch than 
ever upon the Frenchman ; but he seemed 
to be entirely interested in the work of 
trapping and curing furs, and not once did 
they detect him in any further communi- 
cation with the savages. 

^‘They’ve come to some kind of an 
understanding,” said Kit, after a time. 

And he’s waiting for a certain time to 
come around. Like as not it’s the spring ; 
for it’s too late to jump out now and try to 
get back to Sante F6. Winter’d overtake 
them.” 

Winter came on at last, the streams were 
frozen and the trappers gave up their labors. 
They left the Blackfoot country determin- 
ing to winter in a more friendly section. 
A band of Crows guided them to a shel- 
185 


IN THE ROCKIES 


tered valley, and the two parties camped 
side by side during the severe months. 

The Crows were mostly young warriors, 
and splendidly athletic; in good weather 
they arrayed themselves against the white 
men in games of strength and skill ; hunt- 
ing was the favorite test, but horsemanship, 
running and leaping, were also well liked. 
In these contests the boys grew very inti- 
mate with a stalwart young brave whose 
name was Tall Thunder. 

One night they sat beside him at a lodge 
fire in the Crow camp ; a number of the 
young warriors were also present, but they 
rarely spoke, knowing little of the white 
man^s language. Tall Thunder, however, 
could make himself understood without 
much difficulty. He related many of his 
hunting exploits, and some of the deeds of 
his tribe in their wars with the Blackfeet. 

Your English is good,’’ praised Joe. 
“ How did you learn it ? ” 

Um — much teach ! ” explained Tall 
1 86 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Thunder. ‘‘ Half-breed speak much Eng- 
lees. Him Spotted Snake.^’ 

The boys looked at each other. Here 
was verification of the story of old Diaz, 
the trader at Santa F6, and of the news 
gathered by Shunan. Lopez, or Spotted 
Snake, was, or had been, in the northern 
wilderness. 

Do you know where Spotted Snake is 
now ? asked Dave. 

Um I Crow village — four suns. Live 
like chief! ” 

The boys understood from this that 
Lopez was then in a Crow village four days^ 
journey from where they were ; and also 
that he was much honored. They were 
discussing this fact in some excitement, 
when the young Crow, who could make 
nothing of the rapid English, said : 

Spotted Snake is your friend ? 

Dave Johnson shook his head. Tall 
Thunder seemed to turn the denial over for 

a space ; then he said : 

187 


IN THE ROCKIES 


‘‘Um! Spotted Snake keep away from 
white men. Only want to see one.^’ He 
nodded his head. Him with Blackfeet. 
Much hate.’^ 

“ He hates the white man who lives 
among the Blackfeet?’^ 

Tall Thunder nodded once more. 

Much hate I he repeated. Then as 
though to show the extent of the man’s 
hatred : Want Crow to go on war-path. 

Against Blackfeet. Chiefs and old men 
hold council. Say no.” 

Later in the evening the boys spoke to 
Kit about this. He was interested. 

“ Lopez has his enemy placed,” said he. 

And maybe, through the news brought by 
Shunan, Williams knows something about 
the whereabouts of Lopez.” Then, after a 
moment, during which he stared into the 
fire : It seems to me, boys, that your long 
hunt is going to come to something at last. 
Unless an accident happens Williams will 

get out of this region in the spring ; Shunan 
188 


WITH KIT CARSON 


will go with him. Watch Shunan ; don^t 
let him make a move that we don^t see, and 
we can overreach them.^’ 

It was a hard winter on the horses ; soft 
branches and bark, the inside layer of the 
cottonwood, was the only fodder the poor 
animals had for weeks ; but the fresh green 
of the spring soon began to put them in 
condition when that anxiously looked for 
season arrived. 

While waiting for the horses to pick up 
some flesh, Fontenelle, the chief trapper, sent 
two men to Fort Laramie for some much 
needed supplies. The news came later that 
they had been ambushed and killed by 
Blackfeet. 

It was in no very soft mood that the 
trappers set out for their hunting grounds ; 
but, though they did not know it, the time 
for the striking of a retaliatory blow was at 
hand. 

As they drew near to the source of the 

Missouri, they one evening camped on the 
189 


IN THE ROCKIES 


fork of a small tributary. The setting sun 
was slanting across the stream, the camp- 
fires were lighted and the trappers were 
cooking their supper, standing guard or 
caring for the horses. Suddenly a shout 
came from one of the pickets, together with 
the sound of hoof beats. In a few moments 
a couple of fur hunters came into camp with 
a horseman. In spite of the Indian trap- 
pings worn by both mustang and rider, both 
Dave Johnson and Joe Frazier recognized 
him at a glance. 

Lopez ! they exclaimed in a breath ; 
and then the trappers closed in around the 
half-breed. 


190 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE VILLAGE OF THE BLACKFEET 

The throng of buckskin-clad trappers 
crowded about the half-breed Lopez ; every 
eye was on him ; all were curious to hear 
the nature of his errand. 

I came to warn you,” he said in Spanish, 
to Fontenelle. “ Directly in your path, one 
day’s ride from here, is the main village of 
the Blackfeet. Hold to your present course 
and you’ll have them swarming around you 
like bees.” 

For a moment there was a dead silence. 
Then the many grievances they held against 
that particular tribe, and more especially 
the fate of the two messengers to Fort 
Laramie, came to the minds of the trap- 
pers. As one man they gripped their rifles 

and there arose a cry for vengeance. The 
191 


IN THE ROCKIES 


half-breed sat his mustang quietly ; he 
said nothing, but in his eye was a satis- 
fied gleam. Kit Carson touched Dave 
Johnson’s sleeve. 

“ Moccasin Williams is in that village. 
That is why the half-breed is here. Fail- 
ing to get the Crows to attack them, he 
now tries our men.” 

And with what result, do you think? ” 
asked Dave. 

For answer Kit pointed to the trapper 
band ; to a man, almost, they were gathered 
about Fontenelle ; their voices were lifted in 
a harsh hubbub; their rifles were waved 
about ; they clamored for war. 

It was a wild scene, and one neither of 
the boys ever forgot ; the rough, bearded 
men, buckskin clad, their weapons gleam- 
ing in the flare of the camp-fires, while all 
around was silence and the darkness of the 
wilderness. 

When the clamor died down, the chief 
trapper spoke. 


192 


WITH KIT CARSON 


We have suffered at the hands of the 
Blackfeet/^ said he. And now that a 
chance has come to strike a blow, we will 
not let it pass.^^ 

There was a wild hurrah, and the men 
scattered about the camp, gathering at the 
various fires, cleaning their rifles, oiling the 
locks of their pistols, seeing to the edge of 
knife and hatchet. 

And see that there^s plenty of good 
black powder in your horns,’ ^ advised old 
Zeke. Bullets and flints will be things 
you can’t have too much of either ; for un- 
less I’m much mistaken we’ve got a day of 
days ahead of us to-morrow, lads.” 

As the half-breed slipped from his horse 
and approached a fire at which Kit and the 
boys stood alone he nodded as though not 
at all surprised to see them. 

“ I saw all three of you a dozen times 
during the winter,” said he. ‘‘ But you 
did not see me. I often rode through the 
passes when the snow melted, and looked 

.193 


IN THE ROCKIES 

down at your camp in the valley from the 
hills/^ 

“ And it was then, I guess, that you 
thought how well it would fit in with your 
plans if you could get our party to attack 
the Blackfeet/^ 

The half-breed smiled the disagreeable 
smile natural to him. 

“ But,’’ said he, I never hoped to have it 
happen, until the two riders going to Lara- 
mie were killed. After that,” and he 
snapped his fingers, “ I knew it would be 
nothing.” 

If you were so anxious to revenge your- 
self on Williams, why have you waited so 
long ? ” asked Kit. A man who really 
wanted satisfaction would have tried for it 
single-handed.” 

“Do you think I have not?” asked 
Lopez, quietly. “ Do you suppose I have 
been lying by all this time waiting to be 
helped? I spent months in trying to find 

out where he was. Twice I was taken by 
194 


WITH KIT CARSON 

the Blackfeet and once almost lost my life. 
That I could speak their language and 
claimed to be related to their tribe was all 
that saved me. At last I located him in 
the village which you will see to-morrow. 
The Pueblos call me Spotted Snake/' and 
he laughed, harshly. Well, I tried to 
earn the name in my lookout for Moccasin 
Williams ; for never a snake held so close 
to the ground, or crawled so silently 
through the grass as I did. But I never got 
him as I wanted him. A hundred times I 
had him under my rifle, but he was never 
near enough for me to be sure. To-mor- 
row," and there was a deadly meaning in 
his voice, I will try again ; and I think I 
shall succeed." 

The fire at which they stood was one re- 
moved from the others, having been kin- 
dled by a horse guard to roast a particular!}^ 
prized piece of buffalo tongue while he was 
on watch. The trees threw huge, dancing 
shadows all about ; and their own move- 
195 


IN THE ROCKIES 


ments were grotesquely mimicked by the 
giant shades flung from them by the chang- 
ing light. There was a silence after the 
half-breed’s last words ; then, as he stood 
staring into the red of the blaze, Dave 
Johnson fancied he heard a sound behind 
him. Trained, by this time, to respond to 
sounds which he did not understand, Dave 
was about to turn ; but he felt the grip of 
Kit upon his arm — a grip which asked for 
silence as plainly as words could have 
done. 

Kit, facing the half-breed, spoke quietly : 

‘‘ The map which belongs to these boys, 
now ? What about that ? ” 

The half-breed gave a gesture of con- 
tempt. 

If I can find the man who stole it from 
me, that’s all I ask,” said he. 

“ Well, all right,” said Kit. Then he 
added, drily, But seeing that you stole it 
yourself. Spotted Snake, I think you’re 
making a mighty big complaint.” 

196 


WITH KIT CARSON 


“ He claimed to be my friend. He is a 
traitor/^ said the half-breed, sullenly. 

As I have said, all right,^’ repeated Kit. 
“ You can look at the thing just as you 
see fit, and I'll not say a word against it. 
But," and here there was a ring in his 
voice like that of steel, the map belongs 
to these two lads, and I'm going to see that 
they get it. It belongs to them and no one 
else shall have it ; neither you, Lopez, who 
stand there grinning at me ; nor you. Moc- 
casin Williams, away there in the Blackfoot 
town ; nor you, Shunan, who are behind me 
in the bushes ! " He wheeled as he spoke 
these last words, and faced the darkness. 

Come out," said he. We know you’re 
there, and we know why you're there." 

There came a swishing and clattering 
among the thick growth, and the burly 
Frenchman made his appearance. 

I was looking for fuel," he growled, 
sullenly. I didn't know you were here." 

Kit regarded him steadily. 

197 


IN THE ROCKIES 

I never told the rest of the men how 
you were in communication with the Black- 
feet in the fall/^ said he. Then as the man 
tried to interrupt, he lifted a hand for si- 
lence. If I had,^’ he went on, “ I guess 
you know what would have happened — for 
they don’t love that people. But,” and the 
ring in his voice was as hard as before and 
the menace was as clear, if you make an 
attempt to leave camp to give warning they 
will be told now. So, if you value a whole 
skin, you’ll sit tight and say nothing.” 

I never meant to ” began the 

bully, but Kit stopped him. 

It makes no difference what you meant,” 
he said. “ The thing is there, just the same. 
I’ll give Fontenelle a hint, and there will 
be a quiet guard over you until our little 
business with the redskins is done. So mind 
what movements you make when away 
from the camp. You’ll not know which 
one’ll draw the bullet from some pistol.” 

And that there was something behind 
198 


WITH KIT CARSON 

this warning was soon made plain to the 
bully ; as he sat by the fire, as he rolled in 
his blanket, he felt the watch held over 
him ; not once during the long night did it 
relax ; and though he desired ever so much 
to warn his confederate among the Indians, 
he did not dare to make a move. 

Long before dawn the camp was astir, 
breakfast was cooked and eaten, and the 
entire party of one hundred trappers, under 
the guidance of Lopez, started in the direc- 
tion of the Blackfoot village. After a 
march of some six hours they struck a broad 
and well-defined trail. 

** This leads straight to the village,^^ said 
Lopez. “ Two or three hours more and we 
are there.^’ 

But at this point Fontenelle halted the 
column of trappers. 

“ I think it would be best,” said he, if 
a small party went ahead and reconnoi- 
tered. In marching on blindly this way 

there is always danger of a trap.” 

199 


IN THE ROCKIES 


Lopez protested loudly ; but the trappers 
as a body thought well of the suggestion. 

Carson/’ said the head trapper to Kit, 
‘‘ take five men and go have a look at the 
trail and the village. We’ll camp here un- 
til you return.” 

Accordingly, with Zeke Matthews, the 
two boys and a pair of seasoned woodsmen, 
Kit started off. Silently they rode along 
the narrow Indian trail, being careful to 
make a note of every spot that would afford 
a chance for an ambuscade ; at length they 
drew near the village, a perfect city of 
lodges ; creeping among the rocks and 
trees they managed to get a close view of 
what was going on. 

From the opposite side of the town a great 
drove of horses was being driven in ; camp 
equipment was being brought together as 
though for a move. 

“ We’re none too soon,” said Kit in a 
whisper, to Dave. “ By this time to- 
morrow they’d be gone.” 

200 


WITH KIT CARSON 

“ Look ! said Joe, in a low voice, his 
rifle barrel indicating a place near to the 
end of a row of lodges. A white man I 

“ Moccasin Williams,’^ were Kit^s words, 
as his eyes rested upon the renegade. 

Well, Spotted Snake was right, wasn^t 
he?^^ 


201 


CHAPTER XIV 


THE LAST BATTLE 

Making sure that the savages were 
merely in the first stages of their prepa- 
rations for departure, Kit and his little 
party of scouts crept away through the 
trees and grass to the place where they 
had left their horses. Mounting, they 
gained the trappers’ camp just after night- 
fall. 

When the news was broken, the woods- 
men gathered about their fires in council. 
After some discussion a plan was agreed 
upon. 

Kit will take half of you,” said the 
chief trapper, and ride to the attack. 
The other half will stay behind with me 
to guard the pack animals and the furs.” 

“ But don’t stand still,” was Kit Carson’s 
advice. “ Advance slowly in our track. 

202 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Then you’ll be a kind of reserve in case 
we need you.” 

Everything agreed upon, the trappers 
rolled themselves in their robes and blan- 
kets around the fires ; and at dawn next day 
they divided according to their plan ; Kit 
and his fifty taking the Indian trail at a 
swinging pace, every man in the advance 
eager for the fight. 

After to-day,” prophesied Zeke Mat- 
thews, those varmints of Blackfeet won’t 
be so quick with their monkey shines. 
They’ll get a lesson they’ll remember for 
some time to come.” 

They approached the Indian town with- 
out being discovered ; the savages were in 
the heart of their own country, never 
dreaming of attack, and therefore had out 
no sentinels. The trappers, each well 
mounted, rifie in hand and side arms 
ready to be grasped at a second’s notice, 
drew up in a line. 

Now, men,” said Kit, his . eyes running 
203 


IN THE ROCKIES 


over them, to make sure that all were pre- 
pared. At full speed I Charge ! '' 

Like a thunderbolt the woodsmen struck 
the Blackfoot village ; a volley from the 
long .rifles swept among the warriors and 
a dozen of them pitched headlong. A 
shrill yell arose ; the savages gripped their 
weapons and fell back from their town, 
fighting every step of the way. 

The Blackfoot was a fighting man of 
craft, courage and generalship. Unlike the 
Crows and more southern tribes, he did not 
go mad with excitement when he faced the 
superior weapons of the white man. On 
the contrary he always fought them ac- 
cording to a carefully laid out plan. 

From behind rocks and stumps and 
fallen trees the long arrows began to wing 
their deadly way ; taking the cue the trap- 
pers protected themselves in much the 
same fashion, and their rifles continued to 
speed bullets wherever a tufted head showed 
itself. 


204 


WITH KIT CARSON 


For fully three hours this sort of warfare 
continued ; the Blackfeet fought with cour- 
age and judgment; craftily they drew the 
fire of the trappers until the supply of 
ammunition began to grow low. 

As this latter grew apparent to Kit he 
passed the word to slacken the fire. 

“ Don’t press a trigger unless you are 
sure of a redskin,” was his command. 

And as the rifle fire slacked the Indians 
grew more bold. They understood what 
had happened, and crept forward from tree 
to tree, from rock to rock, meaning to get 
near enough for a grand rush and then to 
engage the whites hand to hand. 

I notice,” said Dave Johnson, as he lay 
at full length behind a stump, his rifle 
advanced, his eyes on the dark-skinned 
enemy, “ that there’s a bullet comes now 
and then from over there to the right. 
One of the braves must have a rifle.” 

It’s Moccasin Williams,” replied Kit 

Carson, from behind a near-by tree. He’s 
205 


IN THE ROCKIES 


behind that big cottonwood at the mouth of 
the ravine, trying some sharpshooting.” 

I'd like to get a ” but Dave never 

finished the sentence, for Kit’s rifle cracked 
and the bark flew from the big cottonwood 
in a shower, leaving a deep seam to show 
the track of the bullet. 

Missed I ” said Kit, coolly. ‘‘ But better 
luck next time.” 

In a little while the Indians pressed 
forward under cover ; then, thinking them- 
selves near enough for a rush, they leaped 
from behind the trees and with shrill yells 
and brandished hatchets and knives, darted 
at the trappers. 

The long rifles greeted them once more ; 
but as they still came on, the pistols were 
discharged in their very faces with terrible 
effect. This was more than savage fortitude 
could bear up under, and they sought cover 
once more with howls of rage and a fresh 
flight of arrows. 

Then closer and closer they drew and 
206 


WITH KIT CARSON 


slower and slower grew the fire of the 
whites. There were but few charges of 
powder left. Another rush of the savages, 
and there would be no more. 

It looks bad,^^ said old Zeke, as he drained 
his powder-horn of its last grain. “ But wedl 
give a good account of ourselves for all.^' 
But a last desperate struggle with knife 
and clubbed rifle was not to come, for as the 
powder was quite exhausted, word was 
brought to Kit that the reserve of trappers 
under Fontenelle had arrived. And soon 
after, each horn was refilled, each rifle re- 
charged, and with the confidence of in- 
creased numbers the trappers advanced, 
firing as they went. 

In the van of the whites was the half- 
breed, Lopez ; he held his rifle ready, but 
seemed to reserve his fire. Kit Carson, 
firing and loading and firing and loading, 
noticed this. 

Anything wrong with your shooting 

iron. Spotted Snake ? asked the trapper. 

207 


IN THE ROCKIES 


No/^ replied the half-breed, never tak- 
ing his eyes from the flitting line of savages 
as they moved from cover to cover. “ But 
the bullet that^s in it is meant for Moccasin 
Williams, and him only.’^ 

Steadily the trappers pressed forward ; 
quicker and quicker grew the flitting of the 
savages from rock to tree and from tree to 
stump; and at length the crafty retreat 
began to weaken, then to waver. There 
was less purpose in it ; Anally the braves at 
one side broke and ran ; then the entire 
line followed suit. 

Now for the first time since he entered 
the action, the rifle of Lopez lifted. The 
boys saw an ungainly white man in the 
rush of the fleeing savages ; he had sandy 
hair and a thin, fox-like face. A dozen 
steps he took, the fox-face turned over his 
shoulder to observe the pursuers, then 
Lopez^ piece crashed and the man pitched 
forward to the ground. 

With a shrill, throaty cry of exultation, 
208 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Lopez darted forward ; the boys saw him 
reach the prostrate form, a knife in his 
hand. But as he bent over it the form 
showed unexpected life. Moccasin Williams 
sprang to his feet, drawing an Indian 
hatchet from his belt as he did so, and 
both men struck at each other. Both 
blows took effect ; then their arms encircled 
each other, there was a frenzied clutching 
at each other's throats, and they fell to the 
earth. 

And when Kit Carson returned from the 
pursuit of the Indians, which was but a 
short one, he found the boys standing above 
the two dead bodies. 

** Your property ? " he asked, his swift 
eyes telling him what had occurred. 

‘‘ Here," said Joe, and he held up a 
folded paper. 

“ Good ! " said the trapper. Take care 
of it, for you've had a hard fight to get it 
back ; and the next time you might not be 
so lucky." 


209 


IN THE ROCKIES 


The blow dealt the Blackfeet that day 
was a heavy one ; and they remembered it, 
as Zeke Matthews had prophesied, for a 
long time after. 

Great good luck followed the Fontenelle 
band in their labors after this ; and when 
they finally journeyed to the trading camp, 
held that year on Mud River, they took 
with them a great wealth of furs. 

And it was on Mud River, some weeks 
later, that Kit Carson parted with the boys, 
who proposed to join an ingoing party as 
far as Santa F6, and then take ship at one 
of the Gulf ports for New York. 

“ Good-bye, lads,’^ he said, as he pressed 
their hands. “ Some day I may go east, 
and if I ever do, I’ll be sure to look you 
up.” 

East I ” exclaimed Joe. “ West, you 
mean. Kit. In a year we’ll be in California 
again, digging and washing along that 
wonderful river which, as old Goat Beard 
said, runs with gold.” 

210 


WITH KIT CARSON 


And Joe was right as to place. But he 
was wrong about the time. 

The next time the three met it was in 
California ; but fifteen years or more had 
passed. The boys had become bronzed men 
and were accounted the richest in the New 
Eldorado. And Kit Carson was then the 
most famous man in the great west ; his 
fame as an Indian fighter and pathfinder 
had gone around the globe. 

You found your river of gold then,” 
said he, as they gripped hands once more. 

“ Yes,” laughed Dave. It proved to be 
the Sacramento.” 

But we had to wait until the United 
States took California over, after the war 
with Mexico,” said Joe, rather ruefully. 
^‘It was a long time, but,” and his eyes 
laughed much as they used to do, it was 
worth the waiting.” 

'' I should think so, indeed,” said the 
trapper. 


2II 


CHAPTER XV 


SKETCH OF Carson’s life 

Christopher or “ Kit ” Carson was born 
in Madison County, Kentucky, in December, 
1809. The great state had been opened 
only a few years and was, in many parts, 
still a trackless wilderness. 

Kit was reared in the log house of the 
frontier ; and like most noted frontiersmen 
grew accustomed to the rifle at an early age. 

But however primitive Kentucky may 
have been there were apparently too many 
settlers to please the elder Carson ; for a 
year after the birth of Kit, he packed his 
effects upon the backs of his horses, and with 
his family took up the trail for the more 
distant west. They crossed the Mississippi 
and settled in that vast country later ceded 
by Napoleon to the United States, and 
then known as Upper Louisiana. 

212 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Here Kit grew up among the wild spirits 
of the border, accustomed to the idea of 
danger and renowned even in his boyhood 
as a rifle shot, a hunter and the possessor of 
invincible resolution. He served two years 
as apprentice to a saddler ; then the stories 
of the Sante F6 trail, the dangers and 
wonders thereof, appealed to him so strongly 
that he joined a party about to start over it. 

This was the day when vast herds of 
buffalo roamed the great plains, when the 
Rocky Mountains were almost a thing of 
fable. And at the age of eighteen we find 
Kit Carson in the Mexican city ofSantaF6, 
with the whirl of the wonderful southwest 
all about him. The fur trade was approach- 
ing its height and the commerce of the 
prairies had centered about the town. To 
it came all the wonderful characters of the 
border, and from it started more expeditions 
than from any other city in the west. 

Young Carson fell in love with the wild 

country ; with rifle, hatchet and knife, he 
213 


IN THE ROCKIES 


penetrated the hills to the north and there 
fell in with Kin Cade, an old mountaineer 
who taught him much of the lore of the 
West which afterward proved so useful to 
him. Later, Kit joined the train of a trader 
going back to Missouri. The Santa F6 trail 
was a thousand miles long, and through a 
savage region of wolves and Indians, and 
waterless deserts. But Kit did not mind 
this ; he liked the toil of it and the danger. 
But, half-way over the trail, the thought 
came to him that he was going back East.^^ 
At a ford on the Arkansas River they 
encountered another band of traders on 
their way to the west ; Kit joined them and 
returned to Santa F6. Reaching the fur 
market once more, Young Carson engaged 
with a Colonel Trammel, who was leading a 
trading expedition southward to the rich 
mines of Chihuahua. Having learned 
Spanish from Kin Cade, he was now to 
serve as interpreter. 

Returning from this venture he went to 
214 


WITH KIT CARSON 


Taos, a trapper’s town about a hundred and 
fifty miles north of Santa F6. Here he met 
the trapper, Ewing Young, for the first 
time, and was engaged as a camp cook. 
But Young was not long in seeing the qual- 
ities of his youthful recruit, and when he 
took up his march for California, where we 
find his party in the first chapter of In 
the Rockies with Kit Carson,” Kit was a 
full fledged trapper. 

After the great battle with the Blackfeet, 
as related in the last chapter of the story. 
Kit Carson joined a body of trappers at the 
summer rendezvous. Later he joined a 
trading party going into the country of the 
Navajos, a highly intelligent tribe who cul- 
tivated the arts and were quite rich. After 
a profitable venture among these people he 
became the hunter, or meat provider for the 
fort on the Platte River. 

But he preferred trapping, it would seem ; 
and after some smaller ventures joined a 
large party and once more ventured into 
215 


IN THE ROCKIES 


the Blackfoot country. In the winter traces 
of Indians were seen near their camp ; 
knowing that the savages must be in large 
force to venture so near to them, Kit Carson 
proposed that the whites strike the first 
blow, and so plant terror in the hearts of 
the Blackfeet. 

Forty trappers took the trail ; Kit was 
given the command. A band of savages 
were encountered and attacked. They fied, 
falling back upon a still larger band. A 
desperate battle followed, fought from be- 
hind trees and rocks, and as night fell, the 
Blackfeet, with many of their braves dead 
or disabled, retired across a frozen stream 
to an island in its middle, where they had 
erected a log fort. Under the cover of the 
darkness, however, the Indians left even 
this and hurried away. 

Returning to camp a council was held. 
The trappers were sure the savages would 
return in great numbers, and they began to 

prepare for them. Intrenchments were 
216 


WITH KIT CARSON 


prepared; trees, brush, stumps, fallen logs 
and boulders were cleared away from the 
camp upon every side. If the savages ad- 
vanced, they must do so in the open. 

At daybreak one morning the Indians 
came, a thousand or more in number, and 
advanced to crush the whites for good and 
all. But at the verge of the cleared space 
they halted, astonished. They could not 
advance without exposing themselves to the 
deadly fire of the long rifles ; to take the 
fort meant an awful sacrifice. A council 
was held in which there was much speech- 
making. Then the host broke into two 
bands and moved away over the mountains ; 
and after this that particular body of trap- 
pers were troubled no more. 

But Kit was destined to have many en- 
counters with the Blackfeet and other hos- 
tile tribes ; and at the same time there were 
numerous others with whom he became 
quite friendly ; indeed, many was the vil- 
lage into which he could ride and be greeted 
217 


IN THE ROCKIES 


as a brother. In spite of all the opposition 
of the Indians of the mountains, the trap- 
pers persisted. But at length the price of 
furs fell to such a degree that hunting them 
grew unprofitable. And so Kit abandoned 
the pursuit and began a career as a hunter, 
during which he pushed his acquaintance 
with the nations of the Cheyennes, the 
Kiowas, the Arapahoes and the Comanches. 
Once he was instrumental in preventing a 
deadly war between the powerful Sioux 
people and the Comanche. The Sioux had 
intruded upon the hunting ground of the 
other tribe ; this was resented ; fights fol- 
lowed ; the Comanches were beaten. Kit 
Carson was the friend of both peoples ; he 
went to their chiefs ; he parleyed and 
argued. The result was that the Sioux left 
the Comanche hunting ground, their chiefs 
giving their word that they’d never return. 

Among the Comanches, Kit Carson found 
a wife — a beautiful Indian girl with a mind 

much superior to that of the women of her 
218 


WITH KIT CARSON 


race. They had a daughter. Afterward 
the wife and mother died of a plague which 
had broken out ; and when the child grew 
a little older, Kit took her to St. Louis to be 
educated and brought up amidst civilized 
surroundings. 

Bound up the Missouri River from St. 
Louis, Kit fell in with Lieutenant John C. 
Fremont, of the Topographical Engineers 
Corps. This officer had been sent by the 
War Department to explore on the line of 
the Kansas and Great Platte Rivers, and 
between the South Pass in the Rockies and 
the frontier of Missouri. Fremont had a 
party of twenty-one boatmen who knew the 
western life ; he had also engaged a guide, 
but this latter man had failed him. Learn- 
ing this. Kit Carson offered his services as 
one who knew the mountains and streams, 
having trapped among them for sixteen 
years. He was accepted ; and thus began 
that series of explorations that made the 
name of Fremont, the pathfinder, known 
219 


IN THE ROCKIES 


the country over, and that of Kit Carson, 
frontiersman, famous throughout the world. 

Three separate expeditions into the wilds 
were required before Fremont completed 
his work, and in each of these Kit Carson 
acted as his guide. They were expeditions 
crowded with Indian battles, with perils and 
escapes by flood and field. 

After years of adventure. Kit began to 
farm and raise sheep, organizing a hunting 
party of his old friends now and then ; later 
the government, because of his knowledge 
of the tribes, made him an Indian agent. 

This difficult post he filled as probably it 
had never been filled before. During the 
rebellion he was of much service to the gov- 
ernment on the border ; and at the close of 
the war was breveted a brigadier general of 
volunteers. He died at Fort Lyon, Colo- 
rado, in May, 1868, in the sixtieth year of 
his age. 

Another Book in this Series is : 

IN KENTUCKY WITH DANIEL BOONE 


220 









N CV 8 1913 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDOElflOSTSt. 



